Masorti (Conservative) and Reform prayer books of the last generation often include an Al Hanisim ("For the miracles") prayer from Israel Independence Day, similar to the prayers recited on Hanukkah and Purim.
For example, Ve’ani Tefillati has:
In the days of the second return to Zion, when the Arab nations
surrounded Your people in the Land of Israel saying to them, “Let us destroy
this nation and eradicate the memory of Israel,” You, in Your great mercy,
stood by them in time of trouble. You defended them and vindicated them. You
taught them the ways of war (Ps. 144:1) and delivered the strong into the hands
of the weak, many into the hands of the few, and the evil into the hands of the
people of Your covenant. You made a great and holy Name for Yourself in Your
world and for Your people Israel you wrought great salvation and redemption to
this day.
The Israeli Reform Avoda Shebelav
בִּימֵי שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן הַשְּׁנִיָה כְּשְבָּאָה שְׁאֵרִית הַפְּלֵיטָה מגֵּיא הַהֲרֵיגָה וּבְנֵי עַמְּךָ מִכָּל תְּפוּצוֹתֵיהֶם,
שָׁלְטוּ זֵדִים בְּאֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ וְנַעֲלוּ שְׁעָרִים בִּפְנֵי נִרְדָפִים. אָז קָמוּ
שִׁבְעָה גּוֹיִים לְהַכְרִית עַמְּךָ
יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאַתָּה
בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים עָמַדְתָּ לָהֶם בְּעֵת צָרָתָם. לְהִקָּהֵל וְלַעֲמוֹד
עַל נַפְשָׁם לְלַמֵּד יְדֵיהֶם לַקְרָב אֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה. מָסַרְתָּ רַבִּים בְּיַד
מְעַטִּים וְזֵדִים בְּיַד
בְּנֵי בְרִיתֶךָ. וּלְךָ עָשִׂיתָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ בְּעוֹלָמֶךָ.
וּלְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשִׂיתָ תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה וּפֻרְקָן כְּהַיּוֹם
הַזֶּה:
וְאַחַר
כֵּן נִקְבְצוּ בָנֵיךָ לִבְנוֹת אֶת אַרְצֶךָ וּלְהִבָּנוֹת בָּה וְקָבְעוּ אֶת
יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת הַזֶּה יוֹם חַג וְשִמְחָה לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְשִמְךָ
הַגָּדוֹל. וּכְשֵם
שֶעָשִיתָ נִסִּים לָרִאשוֹנִים, כָּךְ תַּעֲשֶה לָאַחֲרוֹנִים. וְתוֹשִיעֵנוּ
בַּיָּמִים הָאֵלּוּ כְּבַיָמִים הָהֵם.
In the days of the second return to Zion, when the
remnant from the valley of killing and Your people from throughout their
dispersion came, evil people controlled our holy land and locked the gates
before the pursued. Then seven nations arose to annihilate Your people Israel
and You, in Your great mercy, stood by them in time of trouble, to gather
together to protect themselves and train themselves to fight. You delivered the
many into the hands of the few, and the wicked into the hands of those who keep
Your covenant, making a great and holy name for Yourself in Your world and
bringing great deliverance and rescue, as in this time.
Afterwards, Your children gathered to rebuild Your land
and be rebuilt in it. They established this Independence Day as festival of
happiness to give thanks and praise to Your great name. As You made miracles
for the first ones, do the same for later ones and save us in our day as You
did in theirs. [translation SMZ]
In the days of the ingathering of the remnant of Israel from
the lands of darkness and the shadow of death to their beloved inheritance,
pioneers of the nation arose, raised the flag, composed a declaration, and
claimed the right of the nation to be established with its own consent, as a
Jewish government in the land of its birth. With song and dance, women and
children, the old and the young, celebrated on the streets with joy and
rejoicing. At that same time, their enemies converged forthwith, to eliminate
all trace of Israel from the land, and to push into the sea all the keepers of
its faith. But You hurried forth to rescue your nation. You strengthened the
hands of their defenders, and destroyed the weapons of their enemies. A revival
of glory you made, a country of beauty you established, the beginning of the
longing of the generations, a refuge and a fortress for the return of all Your
people.
Avi Shmidman and Ben-Tzion Spitz,
alhanisim.blogspot.com
More information, versions and links at:
http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/04/15/liturgical-responses-to-yom-ha-atzmaut
http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/04/15/liturgical-responses-to-yom-ha-atzmaut
http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/eng/yomatz/are.html
