"Thank God, living and eternal, for the 60 years of independence of the State of Israel": It is the beginning of the prayer which the Hebrew Catholic communities composed to ask for "peace, wellness and development of Israel", on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the birth of the State of Israel. The prayer is going to be read on 11 May, Whitsunday. "Our Father in the skies it is the prayer rock and salvation of Israel, bless our State, protect it and expand the tent of Your peace over it and its neighbours. May peace embrace all peoples and hate disappear together with jealousy and competition, with no more victory of one over the other, of one over its neighbours". "Send Your light and Your truth to heads of state, and give them Your wisdom, for them to guide citizens on the paths of justice and peace. Send Your Spirit to all the inhabitants of the State for them to live in unity, with brotherhood bonds. Help the weakest it is the conclusion of the prayer to find out their place in society and the path to live in dignity". The Catholics speaking Hebraic, estimated to be a few hundreds, are present in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beer Sheba. The Vicariate to which they belong includes also two communities speaking Russian.
