At Congregation Har HaShem in Boulder, Colorado, we believe that a thriving Jewish community is one where every person finds meaning, connection, and belonging. This February, as we observed Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, we took time to reflect on what it truly means to build a community where all are welcome—not just in theory, but in practice. Our congregation has embraced the framework of ensuring that every person who walks through our doors is noticed, named, known, needed, and nurtured. To close our JDAIM Shabbat service, we shared a new prayer that captures our commitment to this sacred work. It reminds us that when we see each person as created b’tzelem Elohim—in God’s image—we honor the divine diversity that enriches our community and deepens the meaning we find in our Jewish lives together.
Prayer for a Community of Belonging
Rabbi Fred Greene
Source of All Being, Creator of infinite diversity,
You have fashioned each person b’tzelem Elohim, in Your divine image.
No two souls alike, yet all reflecting Your sacred light.
Help us to truly see one another—
To notice each person who enters our doors,
To name them as cherished members of our community,
To know their stories, their gifts, their struggles, and their dreams.
Remind us that every soul is needed—
That our community is incomplete when anyone is excluded,
That the wisdom and presence of each and every person enriches us all.
Guide us to nurture one another with compassion,
To create spaces where all can learn, pray, celebrate, and serve,
Where difference is honored as blessing,
And where barriers fall before the power of belonging.
As we gathered together at Sinai—kol ha’am, all the people—
May we gather together now,
Building a community where every voice is heard,
Every presence is valued,
And every person knows they belong.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, who makes us each unique,
And calls us to see Your image in every face.
Ken y’hi ratzon. May this be our will.
Amen.
The use of “noticed, named, known, and needed” was developed by The Belonging Project at Clal, https://www.clal.org/belonging/. Deborah Greene came up with the last “n” – “nurtured.”