Prayers for Israel during this time of war

We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of more than 1,300 Israelis, 3,000 people who have been injured, and 150 people who are being held hostage in Gaza. Our hearts are with the families of those who were murdered, taken hostage, wounded, and those who are still missing. 

We are constantly thinking about the brave men and women of the IDF who are serving on the front lines of this devastating conflict and pray for their victory and safety. At a time when words elude us, these prayers attempt to capture our profound grief, anger and sorrow. Below are several prayers for Israel during this challenging time.

If there is a prayer for the state of Israel that we missed, please share it with us at content@jewishunpacked.com.

Prayer for Israeli soldiers:

May He who blessed our fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, bless the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, in their standing guard upon our land and the cities of our God from the border of Lebanon to the Wilderness of Egypt and from the Great Sea to the approach of the Arava – on land, in the air, and in the sea.

May the Lord give our enemies that rise against us plagues in front of them. May the Holy One, blessed be He, guard and rescue our soldiers from all trouble and distress and from all affliction and illness; and send blessing and success in all the work of their hands. And let us say Amen.

Prayer for those who are missing or being held captive:

May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David and Solomon bless, watch and guard those missing from the Israel Defense Forces and the captives [name of captives], among others of our brethren of the House of Israel that are situated in distress and in captivity. On account of the congregation’s praying for them, may the Holy One, blessed be He, grant mercy upon them, take them out from darkness and gloom, break their chains, redeem them from their ordeals and return them quickly to the comfort of their families. “Let them praise the Lord for His kindness, and His wondrous deeds for the children of man” (Psalms 107:8). And through them, let the verse (Isaiah 35:10) be fulfilled, “And the Lord’s ransomed shall return, and come with shouting to Zion, crowned with joy everlasting; they shall attain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing flee.” And let us say, Amen.

Acheinu (“Our brethren”) — prayer for our fellow Jews facing anguish and captivity:

Aḥeinu kol beit yisrael, ha-n’tunim b’tzarah u-vashivyah, ha-omdim bein ba-yam u-vein ba-yabashah, ha-makom y’raḥeim aleihem, v’yotzi∙eim mi-tzarah lirvaḥah, u-mei∙afeilah l’orah, u-mi-shibud lig’ullah, hashta ba-agala u-vizman kariv, v’nomar amen.

For all our family of the House of Israel, fellow Jews who face anguish and captivity, whether on sea or on land: 

May the Divine have compassion upon them, and bring them from distress to relief, from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption, now, speedily, soon, and let us say: Amen.

Prayer for the State of Israel:

Avinu Shebashamim Rock and Redeemer of Israel
Bless the State of Israel [that it may be] the start of flowering of Redemption.
Shield it with Your love
Spread over it the shelter of Your peace
Guide its leaders and advisors with Your light and Your truth.
Establish for them Your good counsel.
Strengthen the hands of the defenders of our Holy Land
Deliver them; place the crown of victory upon them
Bless the land with peace and everlasting joy.
And let us say: Amen.

Prayer for healing:

Mi Sheberach Avoteinu: Avraham, Yitzhak, v’Yaakov, Hu yivarech virapei et hacholeh/hacholah _____________ ben/bat ______________ HaKadosh Baruch Hu yimalei rachamim alav/aleha, l’hachalimo/l’hachlimah, u-l’rap’oto/u-l’rap’otah, l’hachaziko/l’hazikah, u-l’chay-oto/u-l’chay-otah. V’yishlach lo/lah bim-hera r’fuah shlemah, r’fu-at hanefesh u-r’fu-at hagoof, b’toch sh’ar cholei Yisrael v’cholei yoshvei tevel, hashta ba’agalah u-vizman kariv, v’no-mar, Amen

May the one who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon bless [First Name, son of Mother’s Name], for which [name of person asking for the prayer] vows to give charity for his sake. As reward for this, may the Holy One, Blessed Be He, be filled with mercy for him, to heal him and to strengthen him and to enliven him, and quickly send him a complete healing from heaven to his limbs and organs, among the other sick of Israel, a healing of the spirit and a healing of the body. On Shabbat: On Shabbat we do not cry out, and healing will soon come. Now, speedily, and in a time soon to come, and let us say, Amen

Psalm 6

For the leader; with instrumental music on the sheminith. A psalm of David.
O LORD, do not punish me in anger,
do not chastise me in fury. Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I languish;
heal me, O LORD, for my bones shake with terror. My whole being is stricken with terror,
while You, LORD—O, how long! O LORD, turn! Rescue me!
Deliver me as befits Your faithfulness. For there is no praise of You among the dead;
in Sheol, who can acclaim You?
I am weary with groaning;
every night I drench my bed,
I melt my couch in tears. My eyes are wasted by vexation,
worn out because of all my foes. Away from me, all you evildoers,
for the LORD heeds the sound of my weeping. The LORD heeds my plea,
the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be frustrated and stricken with terror;
they will turn back in an instant, frustrated.

Psalm 120

A song of ascents.
In my distress I called to the LORD
and He answered me. O LORD, save me from treacherous lips,
from a deceitful tongue! What can you profit,
what can you gain,
O deceitful tongue? A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with hot coals of broom-wood.
Woe is me, that I live with Meshech,
that I dwell among the clans of Kedar. Too long have I dwelt with those who hate peace. I am all peace;
but when I speak,
they are for war.

Psalm 121

A song for ascents.
I lift my eyes to the mountains;
from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD,
maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot give way;
your guardian will not slumber; See, the guardian of Israel
neither slumbers nor sleeps! The LORD is your guardian,
the LORD is your protection
at your right hand. By day the sun will not strike you,
nor the moon by night. The LORD will guard you from all harm;
He will guard your life. The LORD will guard your going and coming
now and forever.

Rabbi Naomi Levy, “A Prayer for Israel in this Time of War”

The following prayer was originally published by Nashuva.

God, our Strength and Protection, we pray for the State of Israel in this devastating time of war, shock and grief. Our hearts are breaking, God. We pray for the lives of the innocent civilians who have been heartlessly kidnapped by Hamas, bring them home, watch over them, God. We pray for the lives of the soldiers who have been taken captive, we pray for their safe return, shelter them, God. We pray for the souls of the innocent victims who were brutally slaughtered. Send comfort and strength, God, to the grieving. Send healing to the injured, and strength and wisdom to their doctors and nurses. We pray for all our brothers and sisters in Israel in this time of tragedy and crisis. 

Watch over Israel, God, spread Your shelter of peace over the land and over all our brothers and sisters who live there. Shine Your light upon Israel’s leaders, officers and advisers, help them to overcome all divisiveness and to act with clarity and determination. Protect the men and women who defend Israel, let them be safe and may they be victorious over the Hamas terrorists who attacked our people. Watch over them, God. Hear their prayers. Bring peace, God. Let it rain down from the heavens like a mighty storm. Let it wash away all hatred and bloodshed. Peace, God, please, God. 

God of the brokenhearted, God of the living, God of the dead, gather the souls of the victims into Your eternal shelter. Let them find peace in Your presence, God. Their lives have ended, but their lights can never be extinguished. May they shine on us always and illuminate our way. Amen.

​“A prayer for peace” By Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (translated by Rabbi Deborah Silver)

May it be Your will, Holy One, our God, our ancestors’ God, that you erase war and bloodshed from the world and in its place draw down a great and glorious peace so that nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more.

Rather, may all the inhabitants of the earth recognize and deeply know this great truth: that we have not come into this world for strife and division nor for hatred and rage,  nor provocation and bloodshed.

We have come here only to encounter You, eternally blessed One. And so, we ask your compassion upon us; raise up, by us, what is written:

I shall place peace upon the earth and you shall lie down safe and undisturbed and I shall banish evil beasts from the earth and the sword shall not pass through your land, but let justice come in waves like water and righteousness flow like a river, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Holy One as the waters cover the sea. So may it be. And we say: Amen.