In honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we’re republishing reflections from John S. Ruskay, who was serving as CEO of UJA-Federation at the time and, a decade later, looked back on the experience and its lasting impact.
We also invite you to watch this beautiful message from our interfaith friends on how New Yorkers came together across communities in the aftermath of 9/11 — and what that spirit of solidarity can teach us today, as we prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
And we’re reminded that UJA’s crisis-response work helps ensure we’re ready to take action, being a lifeline for people, whether the emergency is far away or in the city we call home.
Remembering 9/11
On 9/11, I was in Jerusalem. UJA-Federation’s leadership led a mission of 120 New Yorkers to stand in solidarity with the people of Israel as they responded to the growing terrorism of the intifada. None of us could have imagined that just hours after we arrived, America and New York City would be attacked.
I vividly recall standing in the lobby of the King David Hotel watching the Twin Towers collapse on TV. The image still haunts me. But hours later, trauma counselors who UJA-Federation had funded to comfort Israelis came to our sides to comfort members of our mission who were coping with overwhelming anxiety and fear.
Unable to return to New York, the next day we visited the Dolphinarium in Tel Aviv, where 21 young Israelis had been killed just weeks before. Nearby, we saw a makeshift memorial erected by the parents of those who had lost their lives. In handwritten script were the words: Lo nafsik lirkod — We won’t stop dancing. From a place of unimaginable grief, mothers and fathers expressed their resolve to keep living as a way of honoring their children. On that dark day, Israeli resilience renewed our spirits yet again.
As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9/11, resilience has been on my mind. How do people find the strength to go on? To pick themselves up — not only to wake up, get dressed, return to work — but to find joy again? We all remember how New York was a changed city in the days and weeks following the fall of the towers. Life did not go on as usual. In many ways, we were kinder, more tuned in, more appreciative of life and its blessings. We drew strength from each other, from being together at vigils and memorials, from sharing our experiences.
Our agencies — some very close to Ground Zero — provided an array of services both in the immediate aftermath and in the months, even years after, demonstrating the very best of what we make possible. Over time, we witnessed the ruins of 9/11 being cleared and new structures reaching toward the heavens. While none of us will ever forget those who lost their lives, the repair of the physical space has mirrored the repair of the emotional space that was equally damaged. Our city has regained its normal rhythm, and most of us have regained emotional balance
Just as each of us has that day etched in our memory, each of us will commemorate the 10th anniversary in our own way. Some will choose quiet reflection. Some will seek to share the day with others, as for many, 9/11 has become a day of service and an affirmation of community, of people caring for one another, of a city bound together in tragedy yet committed to moving forward.
I think back often to those days 10 years ago and reflect on what it takes to go on. If I were to compose a sign about 9/11, it might read: Lo nafsik lirkod, Lo nafsik l’vnot, Lo nafsik l’cheyot — We won’t stop dancing. We won’t stop building. We won’t stop living. For in dancing again, in building again, in living again, we honor the memory of what was lost and renew ourselves again.
John S. Ruskay led UJA-Federation of New York from 1999-2014 and now serves as executive vice president and CEO emeritus.
