Please pardon my ignorance:
When Christians pray to G_d they pray for things but if I understand correctly Jewish people pray to G-d they are expressing thanks(?)
I would not ask you to explain how another religion does things. Perhaps my qustion is overly simplistic?
Thank you for your time.
There are many aspects to Jewish prayer. One of them is indeed thanks, but praying for personal or communal needs are also an integral part. The most essential Jewish prayer, called the Shemoneh Esrai (literally “18” because of its 18 blessing structure), begins with praise, continues with prayers for specific needs, and ends with the expression of thanks.
Thank you for your question!
All the Best,
Rabbi Mordechai Dixler