“The entire world remembers the shock, the horror and the unbearable sadness of September 11, 2001. And nowhere in the world was that act of terror understood better than here in Israel,” World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said Sunday during the US Embassy's official ceremony at Jewish National Fund’s 9/11 Living Memorial in Jerusalem, marking 15 years since the terrorist attacks that took the lives of nearly 3,000 people.
“Jews had been the targets of terror since before this county was founded in 1948. This is why the sadness of 9/11 was so overwhelming in this country 15 years ago. This is why Israelis grieve for their friends in America. And that is why there is a memorial to the victims of that hateful crime here in Jerusalem,” said Lauder, who is also chairman of the JNF board and served as its president for 10 years.
“This memorial, sponsored by Jewish National Fund, is the only 9/11 memorial outside of the United States with all 2,996 names on it,” Lauder added. “It is at this site that we understand the shared values of democracy, freedom, pain and loss, and we understand one more important point: that Israel shares the courage demonstrated throughout the United States on that terrible day. Liberty will always triumph because people fundamentally want to be free. And the Stars and Stripes, along with the Star of David will light the way for the entire world to follow.”
The JNF 9/11 Living Memorial was donated and dedicated in 2009 by Edward Blank, a retired New York telemarketing pioneer, and a member of JNF’s World Chairman’s Council.
“My family and I are honored that this monument continues to be recognized as a memorial to innocent victims of terrorism and as a reminder that society must be eternally vigilant against extremism,” Blank said, sharing his thoughts from New York. “I’m hopeful that the people of Jerusalem as well as visitors from across the globe will always use this park and memorial as a place of quiet meditation and contemplation. May it serve as a sanctuary for shared loss and a call for peace among nations.”
The memorial, designed by award-winning Israeli artist Eliezer Weishoff, is a 30-foot high bronze sculpture of a waving American flag that morphs into a memorial flame. It rests on a gray granite base, which includes a metal beam from the original Twin Towers.
Surrounding the memorial is a circular stone-tiled plaza, funded by the Bronka Stavsky Rabin Weintraub Trust. It offers visitors a place to reflect upon their thoughts and memories. The monument is strategically located within view of Jerusalem's main cemetery, Har HaMenuchot.
