‘Too large an event to overlook,’ rabbis say of commemorating 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Rosh Hashanah

For Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, a Modern Orthodox synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, observing Rosh Hashanah this year without acknowledging the events of Sept. 11, 2001, would be unthinkable.“Yes, Rosh Hashanah is a sacred day,” he told JNS. “But nothing could be more sacred than remembering the victims of 9/11, showing gratitude to the heroes of 9/11 and vowing to uproot the evil of terror.”This year, Rosh Hashanah will begin on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, in which terrorists killed 2,753 people in New York.“We will absolutely remember 9/11 on Rosh Hashanah,” Steinmetz told JNS. “It is simply too large an event to overlook, and everyone will be thinking about it that day.”Steinmetz plans to hold the synagogue’s annual 9/11 remembrance on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, when it will honor members of the New York City Police and Fire Departments. Members of the departments…
Rabbis in New York City are planning to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which coincides with Rosh Hashanah this year, emphasizing that the event is "too large an event to overlook." Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun stated, "We will never forget the nearly 3,000 victims of this terror attack, many of whom were members of the Jewish community." He plans to hold an annual 9/11 remembrance on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, honoring first responders. Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El will incorporate the commemoration into Rosh Hashanah eve services, noting that for New Yorkers, "9/11 is an event that will always be part of our collective identity." Both rabbis believe that remembering the victims and heroes, and reflecting on communal struggles, aligns with the themes of remembrance and gratitude central to Rosh Hashanah.
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