KKL-JNF, in conjunction with the United States Embassy and JNF-USA, held the annual ceremony commemorating the terror attacks of 9/11 at the Living Memorial in the Jerusalem hills, against the breathtaking backdrop of the Arazim Valley.
“In this inspiring place, we emphasize our commitment to stand together, the United States and Israel, and continue together to build a better future in a spirit of solidarity,” said United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.
Among the approximately five hundred guests attending the ceremony were family members who lost loved ones on 9/11, diplomats from all over the world, new immigrants from Nefesh b’Nefesh, army volunteers from the Sar-El organization, a delegation of pupils from the Alexander Muss High School, representatives of United Airlines, and representatives of the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority. The ceremony, which was held at the 9/11 Living Memorial in the Jerusalem hills, was moved up to September 6 because this year, the anniversary of the terror attacks fell on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.
“The terrorists who perpetrated this heinous act did not distinguish between race, nationality, or faith,” said KKL-JNF Vice Chairman Yair Lotstein. “They had only one goal: to kill, to maim, to destroy. We stand here today, before the only monument outside the United States to include the names of all victims of 9/11, to honor those dear to us who perished in this tragedy and to remember the thousands killed and injured that horrific day. We also dedicate this day to the memory of the first responders: firefighters and police officers who gave their lives valiantly, selflessly, trying to rescue those trapped in the flames and in the ruins.”
KKL-JNF, with the support of its friends in the U.S., built the Living Memorial in the Arazim Valley to commemorate the victims of the 9/11 attacks and as a call for peace among the nations of the world. The monument depicts the American flag transforming into a memorial flame. At its base is a steel beam taken from the ruins of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The plaza is encircled by stone panels bearing the names of the almost 3,000 victims - the only monument outside the U.S. to contain all their names.
“JNF USA selected Jerusalem, the Holy City, home to the world’s major religions, as the site to build the memorial,” said Ed Blank, a JNF USA National Board Member. “This memorial stands as a tangible reminder to us and future generations that we must stand united in our fight against terrorism and safeguard our freedom and our democratic principles and values.”
Eric Michaelson, Chief Israel Officer of JNF USA, said in his remarks that the United States and Israel were undeterred by terrorism, and would continue to spread the message of peace. “This living memorial site stands as a bright beacon of the shared values and brotherhood of both our nations as we look past the darkest of times and remain standing together, giving each other the strength to continue building a better world,” he said.
Roger Yosef Mayo, who served in 2001 as a supervisory special agent with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, was an eyewitness to the attack on the World Trade Center in New York.
“I heard a rumble, a roar”, he recalled. “People were running. It looked like a scene out of a movie shot: thousands of people running north…. The sound got louder and louder and louder, and all of a sudden, it stopped. I went over to a police officer and asked him what had happened. He said: ‘The tower came down.’”
In the days after the attacks, Mayo took part in the questioning of hundreds of illegal immigrants to the United States in an effort to locate the perpetrators. Recently events came full circle for him when his son Adam became a firefighter in New York.
Five Israelis were among the victims of the attacks on 9/11: Shai Levinhar, Alona Avraham, Dan Lewin, Hagay Shefi, and Leon Lebor. Zvi Levinhar, Shai’s father, recited the Kaddish in memory of the victims of the attacks.
Shai's mother Judy Levinhar recalled the events of that terrible day in a choked voice.
“We saw people jumping, and I couldn’t believe it. What about Shai? I reminded myself that Shai was such a brave IDF fighter. Maybe somehow he found a way to save himself. He must have. We both continued watching, and we saw the North Tower collapsing. Tzvi said: ‘We’ve just lost our son.’… Time goes by, but the pain still remains like an open wound, and the loss hurts as if it had all happened yesterday, even seventeen years later.”
MK Nachman Shai, speaking on behalf of the Israeli Knesset, said, “The war on terror is not over. It is a struggle of values and morality, freedom, liberty, justice, faith that good will triumph…. Israel is a peace-seeking country, but it is always prepared for war…. The deaths of thousands were not in vain…. Is the world today a better place, a safer place? I believe the answer is yes.”
Terry Davidson, a representative of the U.S. Embassy in Israel, served as the master of ceremonies. “For the bereaved families, every day is Memorial Day,” he said. “We have come here to give the families strength, and to gain strength from them.”
A band consisting of musicians - new immigrants to Israel from various countries - played musical interludes during the ceremony.
Rina Kaufman, whose brother Leon Lebor was among those who perished in the attacks, spoke about the approaching Jewish New Year:
“In five days we will be reciting a prayer… where we question in awe who will live and who will die… who will perish in fire, who in water… Jewish people in Israel and all over the world will stand that day in synagogue and pray for a life of peace and well-being and remember the lives that were taken from us in such a tragic event.”