The extraordinary ordinary women of the Swords of Iron

When I was approached last May to write a piece for a book of prayers by women, written in response to the events of October 7, I politely declined. What could I possibly contribute? I had already drafted a Swords of Iron version of the morning blessings for my Times of Israel blog, and the war had stilled my muses. Could I write a prayer for the hostages? Our synagogue was already reciting a beautiful one on Shabbat mornings. A prayer for my soldier sons? Thankfully, they were contributing meaningfully to the war effort without being in physical danger; I would leave that prayer to the mother of a soldier in a combat unit.

As the submission deadline approached, however, I realized that I did have a prayer waiting to be written — an ode to the women who had been serving as role models and inspiring me during months of darkness. And while the prayer was originally written in women’s language for an audience of women, many of the women invoked can serve as sources of inspiration for women and men alike.

A Prayer for Our Daughters and Ourselves

Our God and God of our forbearers, bless us to follow in the footsteps of the ordinary women who became extraordinary when they faced unimaginable circumstances on October 7 and during the ensuing war.

Grant us the valor of Inbal the security coordinator, who led the quick response team of her kibbutz in combat, holding off the enemy for hours and saving her entire community.

Bless us with the devotion of mothers like Shahar and Hadar, who heroically sacrificed their lives while ensuring the safety of their children.

Bestow upon us the sensitivity of Tamar, who remained on the phone with two young children for 12 hours, as they hid in a closet after the murder of their parents and the abduction of their sister, supporting them and bringing them to safety.

Grant us the compassion and fortitude of Shari, who served in the Rabbinate’s reserves and identified the bodies of scores of women, preparing them for burial with love and respect and later giving them voice by bearing witness to their mutilation and desecration.

Give us the courage of Amit, who fought her captors like a lioness during her abduction and bravely recounted her experiences of sexual assault after her release from captivity, speaking for all the victims who could not speak for themselves.

Bless us with the ingenuity and presence of mind of abducted Nurse Nili, who tended to the elderly and wounded in captivity, improvising treatments, identifying the most necessary medications, obtaining them, and distributing them based on need.

Instill in us the religious commitment of Private Agam, the surveillance spotter taken hostage from Nahal Oz, who was forced to cook and clean by her captors, but refused to light a fire on the Sabbath in violation of Jewish law.

Bestow upon us the wisdom and grace of Rachel, who became our teacher after her son was stolen, instilling in us the mantra that “hope is mandatory” and inspiring us and the world with the teachings of the sages.

Grant us the generosity of spirit of Iris, who found it in her heart to forgive the soldiers who mistakenly killed her abducted son when he was on the brink of freedom, despite the fact that his hands were raised in surrender. By loving them and absolving them of blame, she enabled the troops to continue their battles and their lives.

Give us the forbearance and positivity of Meirav, who focuses on the light while fighting for the return of her daughter, speaking with moderation and remaining true to herself while connecting with those who are different.

Confer upon us the tenacity of the heroic wives and partners of reservists, who juggle family, careers, worry, and exhaustion, tending to the needs of their children, households, and returning husbands. And bless all those who support them.

Lastly, fill us with the faith and conviction of the bereaved wives and mothers of the fallen, who inspire us with their powerful commitment to their land and people. And may we never know anything resembling their pain.

Our God and God of our forebearers, may we and our daughters draw inspiration from these women, who show us that our potential is far greater than we can imagine. May we carry their example with us as we push our own boundaries, transforming our sorrows into sources of strength, facing the future with hope and resilience, and dealing with our challenges with courage, compassion, and unwavering faith.

* * *

Six months after I wrote this prayer, the women I describe are still active sources of inspiration for me, and other women have joined their ranks. Often, I don’t have to look far to find ordinary women who have become superwomen:

• My neighbor Shira taught us profound lessons about love and grief following the loss of her son Aner, a hero of October 7;
• my friend Hannah has risen above the pain and anguish of the murder of her son Hayim and is channeling her energy into the calls to bring home the hostages, so as to spare other families continued suffering;
• and my niece Bazy, a video producer, turned her camera toward herself early in the war and started documenting her daily life as a working mother raising four young children while her husband is in the reserves, bringing solace and laughs to wives and partners of other reservists.

As we reach the end of Hanukkah and the start of a new calendar year, I have a short, more fervent, and urgent prayer:

May all the hostages be released swiftly, and may our soldiers return home safely, so that the extraordinary women described above can return to their ordinary lives and we can all begin to heal.

And let us say, Amen.

—

A version of the prayer above was published in Az Nashir – We Will Sing Again: Women’s Prayers for Our Time of Need (The Layers Press). Edited by Shira Lankin Sheps, Rachel Sharansky Danziger, and Anne Gordon, the bilingual volume with moving words and beautiful art is available from Amazon in the US (click here) and from the Shvili Center in Israel (click here).

The author thanks Sally Abrams for her valuable feedback on an early draft of the prayer and Rabbi Dr. Aviad Hollander and Rachel Danziger for their work on the Hebrew translation.