A Playlist of Jewish songs of healing and hope that Rabbi Jordan recommends can be found here.   

Prayers and Reflective Readings:

A Prayer for those fighting the Coronavirus
Rabbi Jordan Ottenstein
Johns Creek, GA

Divine source of love, send your blessings of wisdom, patience, and compassion to the health care professionals who tirelessly and selflessly put their own safety at risk each and every day to care for the sick. Watch over them, bless the work of their hands, so that they may continue to work with kindness, with strength, and with love. Let each of them, doctors, nurses, therapists, first responders, and other health care professionals and support staff, as well as their family members, know that they are appreciated for the incredible work they do each day. Bless them with safety and health.

Rock of the world, we also ask that you send wisdom to those in national leadership positions as they respond to this crisis. Let our focus be on fighting the illness and not with each other. Show us all a righteous path that supports, through words and actions, the brave souls on the front lines of fighting the disease.

Fountain of goodness, we ask that you bless us all as we navigate this new world together. Strengthen the bonds of our communities, even as we have to be physically distant from one another. Grant us calm through the anxiety, companionship, even virtually, through the isolation, and love for one another.

Amen

Number 6:23-27 (Translation by Rabbi Jordan M. Ottenstein)

Adonai spoke to Moses:

Speak to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to them:

May Adonai bless you and protect you!

May the light of Adonai’s countenance shine upon you and be gracious to you!

May Adonai bless you with the most precious of all gifts, the gifts of Shalom: health, happiness, joy, and peace.

Thus they shall link My name with the people of Israel, and I will bless them.

Psalm 121 (Translation by Rabbi Jordan M. Ottenstein)

A song for ascents. I life up my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?

My help comes from Adonai, the maker of heaven and earth.

God will not let your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber;

See, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps!

Adonai is your guardian, Adonai is your protection at your right hand.

By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night.

Adonai will guard you from all harm; God will guard your life.

Adonai will guard your going and coming now and forever.

From: Talking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle and Celebration

Rabbi Naomi Levy

Be with me, God. I feel so lost. I can't seem to escape the dark cloud
that is hanging over me today. Help me, God. Give me strength
to combat despair and fear. Show me how to put my pain
into perspective. Teach me to have faith in the new day
that is coming. Thank you, God, for today's blessings,
for tomorrow's hope, and for Your abiding love.
Amen.

Teach me always to believe in my power to return to life, to hope, and to You, God,
no matter what pains I have endured, no matter how far I have strayed from You.
Give me the strength to resurrect my weary spirit.
Revive me, God, so I can embrace life once more
in joy, in passion, in peace.
Amen.

When I feel tainted, God, remind me that I am holy.
When I feel weak, teach me that I am strong.
When I am shattered, assure me that I can heal.
When I am weary, renew my spirit.
When I am lost, show me that you are near.
Amen.

May God heal you, body and soul.
May your pain cease,
May your strength increase,
May your fears be released,
May blessings, love and joy surround you.
Amen.

From Prayers for Healing, ed. Maggie Oman.

-Author unknown, from Prayers for Healing, ed. Maggie Oman

God, make me brave for life: oh, braver than this.
Let me straighten after pain, as a tree straightens after the rain,
Shining and lovely again.
God, make me brave for life: much braver than this.
As the blown grass lifts, let me rise from sorrow with quiet eyes,
Knowing Thy way is wise.
God, make me brave, life brings such blinding things.
Help me to keep my sight; help me to see aright
That out of doubt comes light.

From the East End Temple's Service of Healing

Healing is both an exercise
and an understanding
And yet not of the will
nor of the intention

It is a wisdom
and a deeper knowledge
of the daily swing
of life and death
in all creation.

There is defeat
to overcome
and acceptance of living
to be established
and always
there must be hope.

Not the hope of healing
but the hope which informs
the coming moment and gives it reason.

The hope which is
each person's breath
the certainty of love
and of loving.

Death may live in the living
And healing rise in the dying
for whom the natural end
is part of the gathering
and the harvest to be expected

To know healing is to know that all life is one.