A Prayer for the Suicidal

By Simi Lampert August 5, 2012

The Golden Gate Bridge is approaching its 75th anniversary. Along with being a wondrous Bay Area landmark, the span is famous as a spot where hundreds have committed suicide over the decades.

Congregation Sha’ar Zahav of San Francisco is out to remove the stigma of suicide from religious life.

The followinig is a kaddish text, adapted from the Sha’ar Zahav siddur’s Kaddish. The title is For Mourning the Suicide of a Loved One.

May the Eternal remember the souls of the holy and pure ones
Who took their own lives.

And may their rest be honored.

Our tradition tells us
That their souls are bound in the Bond of Life,
Together with the souls of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah
And together with the other righteous men and women.

Today they are beloved, cherished, embraced and remembered.
Today, with charity and good deeds we will honor their Blessed memory.

And let us say: Amen.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email opinion@forward.com.

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