‘Post proofs that brotherhood is not so wild a dream as / those who profit by postponing it pretend’ … a Menorah in a synagogue in Prague (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
Patrick Comerford
I am still using the Service of the Heart, as part of my prayers since rediscovering this prayer book on my bookshelves some months ago, after I had thought it was lost in the moves between Dublin and Askeaton.
This prayer book, edited by Rabbi John D Rayner and Rabbi Chaim Stern, was published in London half a century ago by the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues in 1967, and the edition I have is dated 1969.
For 20 years, John Desmond Rayner (1924-2005) was the head of the Liberal and Progressive movement in Anglo Jewry, and his obituary in the Guardian said ‘some people took his Angloism to be a little too close to Anglicanism.’
Dr Chaim Stern (1930-2001), an American Reform rabbi, is regarded as the foremost liturgist of Reform Judaism. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and studied in Orthodox yeshivot as a child. But the Holocaust caused him to become far more secular than his family.
An outspoken political activist, he travelled to Mississippi to fight for civil rights as a Freedom Rider in 1961. In 1962, he became rabbi of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London. Although Stern returned to the US in 1965, he was back in London in 1967-1968, lecturing at Leo Baeck College and serving as rabbi of Westminster Synagogue. He was a senior rabbi in Miami, Florida, when he died in 2001.
Chaim Stern co-edited a number of other prayer books, including On the Doorposts of Your House, Gates of Joy, and Shaarei Tefila: Gates of Prayer.
Both Service of the Heart and Gates of Prayer include the poem or prayer ‘Lord God of test tube and blueprint’ by Norman Corwin, which is from the finale of his On a Note of Triumph:
Lord God of test tube and blueprint,
Who jointed molecules of dust and shook them till their name was Adam,
Who taught worms and stars how they could live together,
Appear now among the parliaments of conquerors and give instruction to their schemes:
Measure out new liberties so none shall suffer from his father’s colour or the credo of his choice:
Post proofs that brotherhood is not so wild a dream as those who profit by postponing it pretend:
Sit at the treaty table and convoy the hopes of the little peoples through expected straits,
And press into the final seal a sign that peace will come for longer than posterities can see ahead,
That man unto his fellow man shall be a friend forever.
Norman Lewis Corwin (1910-2011) was a writer, producer and journalist. Although he was not an observant Jew, he infused much of his work with the ideas of the Hebrew Prophets, carrying the weight of time and hope for the future.
He once declared: ‘I believe in promise, just promise. Once we give up the sense of promise, we’re finished. I think that the future beckons us, that there’s a lot of work to be done. Right now, there’s cleaning up to do ... But any species that can weigh the very earth he’s standing on, that can receive and analyze light coming from a galaxy a billion light years distant from us, any species that can produce a Beethoven and a Mozart and a Shakespeare, and the extraordinary accomplishments of our species, scientifically and in medicine and in the humanities, there’s illimitable opportunity for promises to be delivered and met.’
Corwin’s best-known work is On a Note of Triumph, a celebration of the Allied victory in Europe, first broadcast on VE Day, 8 May 1945. Some years earlier, he produced a programme to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, We Hold These Truths, first broadcast on 15 December 1941.
In the 1950s, he was one of the victims of the McCarthy witch-hunts. He lived to be over 100, but his work is largely forgotten today. Yet his message is particularly relevant in an America that today needs to remember the principles that inspired the Bill of Rights and the evils unleashed by McCarthyism.
It is an America where a misogynist and racist President lies about the intention of his tweets instead of apologising for them, and basks in the racist chants of his supporters as if he were at a Nuremberg rally or a rally of the Ku Klux Klan where the crowd has replaced their white hoods with red MAGA caps.
During these weeks, I am working on reflections on the Prophets Hosea and Amos as resources for clergy and readers preparing sermons on the Lectionary readings. Although Norman Corwin is largely forgotten today, his words echo those prophets and have new relevance.
The ‘Monument to Tolerance’ by Eduardo Chillida, accompanied by a poetic text by Elie Wiesel, recalls the mutual tolerance in Seville until the ‘Catholic Monarchs,’ Ferdinand and Isabel, and the Spanish Inquisition expelled all Jews from Spain in 1492 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2018)
The full prayer in the finale of his On a Note of Triumph reads:
Lord God of trajectory and blast
Whose terrible sword has laid open the serpent
So it withers in the sun for the just to see,
Sheathe now the swift avenging blade with the names
of nations writ on it,
And assist in the preparation of the ploughshare.
Lord God of fresh bread and tranquil mornings,
Who walks in the circuit of heaven among the worthy,
Deliver notice to the fallen young men
That tokens of orange juice and a whole egg appear
now before the hungry children;
That night again falls cooling on the earth as quietly
as when it leaves your hand;
That Freedom has withstood the tyrant
like a Malta in a hostile sea,
And that the soul of man is surely a Sevastopol
which goes down hard and leaps from ruin quickly.
Lord God of the topcoat and the living wage
Who has furred the fox against the time of winter
And stored provender of bees in summer’s brightest places,
Do bring sweet influences to bear upon the assembly line:
Accept the smoke of the milltown among the accredited
clouds of the sky:
Fend from the wind with a house and hedge, him
whom you made in your image,
And permit him to pick of the tree and the flock
That he may eat today without fear of tomorrow
And clothe himself with dignity in December.
Lord God of test-tube and blueprint
Who jointed molecules of dust and shook them till
their name was Adam,
Who taught worms and stars how they could live together,
Appear now among the parliaments of conquerors
and give instruction to their schemes:
Measure out new liberties so none shall suffer
for his father’s color or the credo of his choice:
Post proofs that brotherhood is not so wild a dream as
those who profit by postponing it pretend:
Sit at the treaty table and convoy the hopes of the little
peoples through expected straits,
And press into the final seal a sign that peace will
come for longer than posterities can see ahead,
That man unto his fellow man shall be a friend forever.
‘Deliver notice to the fallen young men / That tokens of orange juice and a whole egg appear / now before the hungry children’ … breakfast in Thessaloniki (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2018)
20 July 2019
Visiting Dún Aonghasa,
the clifftop hill fort at
the edge of the Atlantic
Dún Aonghasa is the most important archaeological site on the Aran Islands (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
Patrick Comerford
Inishmore is the largest of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, and is called Árainn by the islanders themselves. In the past it has also been known as Arran, but the ferry companies and tourist guides all call it Inishmore, which helps to distinguish it from the other Aran Islands – Inishmaan and Inisheer – and from Arranmore off the coast of Donegal and the Isle of Arran in Scotland.
People have been living on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, for perhaps 5,000 years, and Inishmore has one of the highest concentrations of National Monuments in Ireland.
By the year 1100 BC, people on the island had built Dún Aonghasa (Dun Aengus), the best-known of the prehistoric hill forts on the Aran Islands, at the edge of a 100 metre high (330 ft) cliff on the south side of the island. It is one of the best examples of its kind in Europe, and is the most important archaeological site on the island.
This is also one of Ireland’s most visited sites, attracting archaeologists, scholars and tourists from all over the world.
Dún Aonghasa is at the edge of a 100 metre high (330 ft) cliff on the south side of Inishmore, overlooking the Atlantic (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
Dún Aonghasa is a Bronze Age hill fort overlooking the Atlantic, with daunting, dramatic views that stretch the length of the Island. The site covers 5.7 hectare (14 acre), and the fort consists of three terraced walls surrounding an inner enclosure containing a platform on the edge of the 100 metre cliff top.
Archaeological excavations have found evidence of people living on the hilltop for over 2,500 years from ca 1500 BC to 1000 AD. It was built at a strategic location, at the narrowest point on the island, at the highest point on the cliffs, and close to a sheltered harbour, in a position to dominate the island and the surrounding sea.
The first walls and dwelling houses were built here ca 1100 BC. Building was a major undertaking for the island’s inhabitants at the time. Archaeologists estimate the building project would have involved a team of 30 builders working seasonally and taking 12 years to complete their work.
The whole structure is surrounded by a network of defensive stones known as a chevaux de fries, dating from ca 700 BC.
The most dynamic period in the history of this hillfort was around 800 BC. At that time, Dún Aonghasa was probably the political, economic and ritual centre for a group of people with a common ancestry. Only the elite members of this group would have lived in the fort. Some scholars suggest the platform overlooking the Atlantic had a ritual function.
The importance of the site waned after 700 BC and, over the following 1,000 years, it seems to have been occupied only intermittently. Although a major rebuilding programme was undertaken in the early mediaeval period (500-1000 AD), the fort was abandoned soon after.
Inside, the hillfort is divided into an outer, middle and inner enclosure by three curvilinear walls that end at the cliff. An additional stretch of wall runs along the west side. When the fort was occupied, there may have been a ‘safety wall’ along the cliff-edge.
Outside the middle closure is a broad band of chevaux de fries or closely-set stone pillars that are difficult to negotiate, even today.
Today’s entry point is through a breach in the outer wall (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
The original approach to the fort was from the north and the main entrances through the outer and middle walls face in this direction. Today, the entry point is through a breach in the outer wall, but the original doorway is some distance away to the right.
The original doorway to the middle enclosure, about 50 metres to the right of the present entrance, is now blocked up because of the poor condition of the roof lintels. The entrance would have been closed off by a wooden gate and the sudden drop inside the threshold was probably designed to trip any intruders. The bodies of two young men were buried in the paved entrance around 1000 AD. They may have had Viking connections, but there is no evidence that they died violently.
The inner enclosing wall is 5 metres wide. It was built up in layers so that the foundations could be stepped over rising ground. Originally, it was about 6 metres high and about 6,500 tonnes of stone were used to build it. The terrace inside gave access to the top of the wall and a small chamber in the west side of the wall may have been used to store precious or perishable goods.
The stone foundations of seven houses were found in the inner enclosure. The floors were paved and some of the houses had a stone hearth. The outline of a circular house, about 5 metres in diameter, is still visible near the west wall. Its foundations are partly covered by the enclosing wall, indicating the house predates the final alterations to the defences.
A stone trough outside the door may have been used for storing water, keeping shellfish fresh, or for boiling meat on a hot stone. Meat, cereals, fish and shellfish were part of the diet of the late bronze Age occupants. Almost 8 tonnes of limpet shells were found during the excavations.
Most of the tools in everyday use – hammers, axes, whetstones, and quern stones – were made of stone. Clothing was made from wool or leather and fastened with bone pins.
The rock platform at the edge may have had a ritual or ceremonial function (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
The rock platform at the edge may have had a ritual or ceremonial function. A hoard of four bronze rings deliberately buried beside it was probably an offering to a deity.
At the opposite end of the inner enclosure, a large hearth seems to have been associated with communal feasting and with the casting of bronze weapons and tools.
Late Bronze Age objects, including rings, tools, beads and foodstuffs, have been found on site and are now in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
Dún Aonghasa became a National Monument at the end of the 19th century and was extensively repaired shortly afterwards. It was one of the first archaeological sites taken into state care in Ireland, and is now managed by the Office of Public Works.
But who was Aonghas? According to legend, Aonghas belonged to a high-ranking dynasty who were displaced from their lands in Co Meath in the early centuries AD. Another possible candidate is Aonghus Mac Natfraich, King of Cashel in the fifth century AD, who had dynastic links with Aran.
The Dún Aonghasa Visitor Centre is on the edge of Kilmurvey Craft Village, at the foot of Dún Aonghasa. From there, it is a 1 km walk to the site, along a rough gravel path.
When we climbed back down along the rough path, we stopped in Kilmurvey for coffee in the summer sunshine before returning to Kilronan, the island’s main village and port, where we had lunch as we waited for the ferry to take us back to Doolin.
Dún Aonghasa is at the top of 1 km walk along a rough gravel path (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
Patrick Comerford
Inishmore is the largest of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, and is called Árainn by the islanders themselves. In the past it has also been known as Arran, but the ferry companies and tourist guides all call it Inishmore, which helps to distinguish it from the other Aran Islands – Inishmaan and Inisheer – and from Arranmore off the coast of Donegal and the Isle of Arran in Scotland.
People have been living on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, for perhaps 5,000 years, and Inishmore has one of the highest concentrations of National Monuments in Ireland.
By the year 1100 BC, people on the island had built Dún Aonghasa (Dun Aengus), the best-known of the prehistoric hill forts on the Aran Islands, at the edge of a 100 metre high (330 ft) cliff on the south side of the island. It is one of the best examples of its kind in Europe, and is the most important archaeological site on the island.
This is also one of Ireland’s most visited sites, attracting archaeologists, scholars and tourists from all over the world.
Dún Aonghasa is at the edge of a 100 metre high (330 ft) cliff on the south side of Inishmore, overlooking the Atlantic (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
Dún Aonghasa is a Bronze Age hill fort overlooking the Atlantic, with daunting, dramatic views that stretch the length of the Island. The site covers 5.7 hectare (14 acre), and the fort consists of three terraced walls surrounding an inner enclosure containing a platform on the edge of the 100 metre cliff top.
Archaeological excavations have found evidence of people living on the hilltop for over 2,500 years from ca 1500 BC to 1000 AD. It was built at a strategic location, at the narrowest point on the island, at the highest point on the cliffs, and close to a sheltered harbour, in a position to dominate the island and the surrounding sea.
The first walls and dwelling houses were built here ca 1100 BC. Building was a major undertaking for the island’s inhabitants at the time. Archaeologists estimate the building project would have involved a team of 30 builders working seasonally and taking 12 years to complete their work.
The whole structure is surrounded by a network of defensive stones known as a chevaux de fries, dating from ca 700 BC.
The most dynamic period in the history of this hillfort was around 800 BC. At that time, Dún Aonghasa was probably the political, economic and ritual centre for a group of people with a common ancestry. Only the elite members of this group would have lived in the fort. Some scholars suggest the platform overlooking the Atlantic had a ritual function.
The importance of the site waned after 700 BC and, over the following 1,000 years, it seems to have been occupied only intermittently. Although a major rebuilding programme was undertaken in the early mediaeval period (500-1000 AD), the fort was abandoned soon after.
Inside, the hillfort is divided into an outer, middle and inner enclosure by three curvilinear walls that end at the cliff. An additional stretch of wall runs along the west side. When the fort was occupied, there may have been a ‘safety wall’ along the cliff-edge.
Outside the middle closure is a broad band of chevaux de fries or closely-set stone pillars that are difficult to negotiate, even today.
Today’s entry point is through a breach in the outer wall (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
The original approach to the fort was from the north and the main entrances through the outer and middle walls face in this direction. Today, the entry point is through a breach in the outer wall, but the original doorway is some distance away to the right.
The original doorway to the middle enclosure, about 50 metres to the right of the present entrance, is now blocked up because of the poor condition of the roof lintels. The entrance would have been closed off by a wooden gate and the sudden drop inside the threshold was probably designed to trip any intruders. The bodies of two young men were buried in the paved entrance around 1000 AD. They may have had Viking connections, but there is no evidence that they died violently.
The inner enclosing wall is 5 metres wide. It was built up in layers so that the foundations could be stepped over rising ground. Originally, it was about 6 metres high and about 6,500 tonnes of stone were used to build it. The terrace inside gave access to the top of the wall and a small chamber in the west side of the wall may have been used to store precious or perishable goods.
The stone foundations of seven houses were found in the inner enclosure. The floors were paved and some of the houses had a stone hearth. The outline of a circular house, about 5 metres in diameter, is still visible near the west wall. Its foundations are partly covered by the enclosing wall, indicating the house predates the final alterations to the defences.
A stone trough outside the door may have been used for storing water, keeping shellfish fresh, or for boiling meat on a hot stone. Meat, cereals, fish and shellfish were part of the diet of the late bronze Age occupants. Almost 8 tonnes of limpet shells were found during the excavations.
Most of the tools in everyday use – hammers, axes, whetstones, and quern stones – were made of stone. Clothing was made from wool or leather and fastened with bone pins.
The rock platform at the edge may have had a ritual or ceremonial function (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
The rock platform at the edge may have had a ritual or ceremonial function. A hoard of four bronze rings deliberately buried beside it was probably an offering to a deity.
At the opposite end of the inner enclosure, a large hearth seems to have been associated with communal feasting and with the casting of bronze weapons and tools.
Late Bronze Age objects, including rings, tools, beads and foodstuffs, have been found on site and are now in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
Dún Aonghasa became a National Monument at the end of the 19th century and was extensively repaired shortly afterwards. It was one of the first archaeological sites taken into state care in Ireland, and is now managed by the Office of Public Works.
But who was Aonghas? According to legend, Aonghas belonged to a high-ranking dynasty who were displaced from their lands in Co Meath in the early centuries AD. Another possible candidate is Aonghus Mac Natfraich, King of Cashel in the fifth century AD, who had dynastic links with Aran.
The Dún Aonghasa Visitor Centre is on the edge of Kilmurvey Craft Village, at the foot of Dún Aonghasa. From there, it is a 1 km walk to the site, along a rough gravel path.
When we climbed back down along the rough path, we stopped in Kilmurvey for coffee in the summer sunshine before returning to Kilronan, the island’s main village and port, where we had lunch as we waited for the ferry to take us back to Doolin.
Dún Aonghasa is at the top of 1 km walk along a rough gravel path (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)
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