The beginning of their healing

My incredible neighbor asked me to write a tefillah for her today, as she stands beneath the chuppah, watching her son and his bride begin their new life together. This is what I sent her:

“We are living in a miraculous moment

Where we have seen the final return of the last of our living hostages

We have witnessed reunions of ecstasy and gratitude

Welcoming home our brothers whom we were afraid we would never see again.

Now we have the privilege to see the beginning of their healing,

Their embraces with friends and family long lost,

Their voices singing to God

Their eyes adjusting to the light, their bodies to the softness of life back at home.

We pray that they continue to live a life of only peace and serenity,

A healing of their bodies and souls

A future where they only know love and comfort.

As we stand under the chuppah today, we are praying for the rest of our brothers who have been killed in captivity

To be returned back home to us

Where they can be laid to rest in the land they loved

Among the people who love them,

Receiving the eternal rest they deserve.

May God continue to protect our soldiers

Giving them the strength and fortitude to fight like lions,

To continue to shield our borders and our cities,

To protect them from harm,

For those who have been injured-

To heal them with a complete refuah shalaimah,

And to bring them all finally home to live prosperous, successful, and peaceful lives.

We will forever be grateful for the sacrifice of our soldiers who were killed in the line of fire,

Whose lives were given to protect their land and their people.

They will forever be remembered as giants,

Who hold the weight of our land on their shoulders.

For all of us, am yisrael,

Like this beautiful chuppah,

Hashem should spread his watchfulness over us,

We ask for Hashem to continue talk to us,

Reveal Himself to us,

And lead us to a time of revelation and miracles

Till we reach the moment of our final redemption,

Where we live eternally in peace.

Amen.”