We Need Justice and Kindness: A Humanistic Prayer for Selichot

This post presents the Hebrew, English and transliterated words for a prayer for justice, kindness, and social responsibility written by Humanistic Rabbis Sherwin Wine and Binyamin Biber. Based on words attributed to Rabbi Akiva in the Talmud (Taanit 35b) and written to the traditional melody of “Avinu Malkeinu,” this prayer is penitential in nature, appropriate for the High Holiday season. Typical of the movement, the blessing omits any mention of God, as Humanistic Judaism enables people of any ethnic or religious background to cherish Jewish history, culture, and ethics without worshipping a supernatural being. This text was originally posted by Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism on Ritualwell, a project of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College that provides a platform for creating new Jewish practices and observances.

We Need Justice and Kindness