25 Years of Remembrance: 9/11 Victims Honored at Annual Memorial Ceremony in Jerusalem

10 September 2026
Marking 25 years since the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA), and the Embassy of the United States of America in Israel came together for their annual memorial ceremony at the Arazim Valley Memorial in Jerusalem to honor the victims of those tragic events.
The 9/11 Living Memorial stands as the only memorial site outside the United States to feature the names of all the victims of the attacks on that tragic day in 2001. The unique monument stands as a symbol of the deep and enduring bond between Israel and the United States, grounded in shared democratic values, peace, and a united front against terrorism.
 
The ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee; Chairman of KKL-JNF Eyal Ostrinsky; CEO of Jewish National Fund-USA Russell F. Robinson; Jewish National Fund-USA’s Chief Israel Officer Tali Tzour Avner; KKL-JNF CFO & Acting Head of Resource Development & External Affairs Division, CDO Yuval Yenni; Emmy Award-winning American actress Patricia Heaton; Commissioner of the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority Eyal Caspi; Commander of the Southern District Fire Department Itzik Oz; U.S. Army Attaché Major Jeffrey Johnson; and other distinguished guests.
Also in attendance were Suri and Harvey (Henoch) Morgenstern, who lost their daughter, Nancy, in the September 11 attacks.
 
The Art of Nova group also participated in the memorial ceremony, performing “Shir LaMa’alot (A Song of Ascents).” An initiative of the Nova Tribe Community Association, the group comprises Tali Binar and Guy Ben-Shimon, both survivors of the Nova music festival massacre on October 7, as well as Ofri Nahum, who lost her sister, Nitzan, in the attack. The Israel Police Orchestra and the Special in Uniform band also took part in the ceremony.
 
During the ceremony, representatives from the various organizations laid wreaths in memory of the victims, accompanied by U.S. Marines and Israeli firefighters.
 
The 9/11 Living Memorial was first established in 2009 by KKL-JNF and Jewish National Fund-USA. The impressive, thirty-foot-high bronze sculpture was created by Israeli artist Eliezer Weishoff and KKL-JNF landscape architect Yechiel Cohen. It portrays the American flag rising upward in the shape of a memorial flame. A metal shard from the ruins of the Twin Towers in New York is incorporated into the base of the monument. The names of the victims of the attacks are displayed around the memorial, against the magnificent backdrop of the Jerusalem Hills and the Arazim Valley.
 
Photo:  Alex Kolomoisky, KKL-JNF Spokespersons Unit
 
Eyal Ostrinsky, Chairman of KKL-JNF:“On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we gather to honor the memory of those who were murdered and to reaffirm that terrorism knows no borders, religions, or nationalities. The 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza in Jerusalem symbolizes the enduring partnership between Israel and the United States, founded on the shared values of freedom, democracy, solidarity, and a steadfast commitment to confronting terrorism. KKL-JNF is proud to preserve this unique memorial as a place of remembrance, hope, and commitment to future generations.We believe that remembrance strengthens the bonds between nations and reminds us that the fight against hatred and terrorism is a shared responsibility we all bear.”
 
Deb Lust Zaluda, President of Jewish National Fund-USA: “Jewish National Fund-USA’s 9/11 Living Memorial stands as the only memorial beyond the United States to bear the name of every victim—a bridge between two nations bound by shared values and a common destiny. Here, we pause to remember lives stolen, families forever changed, and heroes who ran toward danger. Yet remembrance must also summon resolve. As those who despise freedom spread darkness, we must recommit to becoming the light that confronts evil, defeats despair, and illuminates a path toward a better future for our children and generations yet unborn.”
 
Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel: “Twenty-five years after the horrific September 11 attacks, we remember the 2,977 innocent lives taken and the families who have carried that loss.  Today’s memorial, at which the United States and Israel mourn together and stand together, is a testimony to our enduring solidarity and shared resolve to confront terrorism and protect innocent life – a bond that time cannot erode and terror can never sever.”