On February 11, 1861, President-Elect Abraham Lincoln, stopped in Springfield, Illinois, on his way to his inaugural. There, Abraham Kohn, a tailor and leader of the Chicago Jewish Community presented Lincoln with an American flag embroidered with the opening versus of the Book of Joshua:"Be strong and of good courage..."On January 23, 1961, President John F. Kennedy was presented with a Torah Scroll on behalf of the Reform Movement.
US President Barack Hussein Obama is about to receive a unique gift.Shlomo Perelman, owner of judaism.com, has spent the past six months assembling a prayer scroll for the president, made up of over 3,000 personalized blessings that constituents submitted between December 26 and January 31.
The idea came to Perelman after he heard about a gift presented to president-elect Abraham Lincoln by the head of the Jewish community of Chicago in 1861
Perelman thought a similar gift should be presented to Obama from the American Jewish community.
"From its conception, the project had nothing to do with politics or policy," Perelman said in a press release. "It is about the spiritual components of leadership, and the intangible benefits of blessings and prayer."
The blessings for Obama were assembled into a 15-meter scroll of canvas and wood donated by Perelman's associates at The Studio in Old Jaffa and artist Michal Meron. Perelman said presenting the blessings in this way is a "perfect synthesis of Jewish medium and message."
Men, women, children, families, and schools from all around the US submitted blessings to be included in the scroll.
The first-grade class at Solomon Schechter Day School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed: "Baruch Atah [Hashem (God)], who will help protect us all, especially Israel & our friends there. May you stay healthy, eat well & have fun. We Love You!"
A contributor from Los Angeles said: "Mazel tov. We have taken the first step towards change. Prayers for you, your family and our country."
The scroll's dedication page displays Jeremiah's 3,000-year-old advice to the Jewish people: "Seek the peace and welfare of the nation in which you live, and pray for it to God, for through its peace you shall find peace." The second panel displays a "Prayer for our Country" in both Hebrew and English, and another panel bears the signatures of 30 Jewish members of Congress.
Judaism.com has provided a way to view the full version with the exception of the names of the people who made the prayers only locations are provided on the same page is also a free prayer for our country adobe file for the July 4th holiday.
Visit Here To view the scroll (it is at the top of the page click full screen for a close up view) or to download the adobe file of a free prayer for our country
What are you thoughts on this blessing in the form of a scroll that has been bestowed upon President Barack Hussein Obama on behalf of the Jewish Communities of the United States of America?Here are some pictures
the first is the title page to the scroll.....
The second is the prayer for our country that is being offered
Comments (4)
That is REALLY COOL! Wow, it's beautiful.
I do not agree with President Obama's politics but that doesn't mean I don't pray for him...as God commanded us to do. I think this is a wonderful gesture by the Jewish Community, I hope that President Obama is touched and uplifted by it.
Ruth Ann
I think that is sweet and appropriate gift, and hope it will be cherished and well appreciated by the president and to whomever is able to view it
UMM... I think it is interesting, to also note, that the two other presidents you mentioned were both assasinated.
PS. I am not saying, wishing, or hoping this in any way, but I am noting it.