Ambassador Mike Huckabee said the ceremony reflected the continuing relationship between the two countries and their shared commitment to confronting terrorism.
By Shula Rosen
Israelis and Americans commemorated the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks Wednesday night at Jerusalem’s 9/11 Living Memorial, honoring the 2,977 people killed in the attacks ahead of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana.
The ceremony was organized by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund and the US embassy at the memorial, the only site outside the United States bearing the names of all 2,977 victims.
The memorial features a 30-foot bronze sculpture of an American flag forming a memorial flame. A piece of metal recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center is incorporated into the monument.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the ceremony reflected the continuing relationship between the two countries and their shared commitment to confronting terrorism.
“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,” Huckabee said, describing the relationship as “a bond that time cannot erode and terror can never sever.”
The Art of Nova group performed during the ceremony. The group included Tali Binar and Guy Ben-Shimon, both survivors of the Nova music festival massacre on October 7, and Ofri Nahum, whose sister, Nitzan, was killed in the attack.
JNF-USA President Deb Lust Zaluda described the 9/11 Living Memorial as “a bridge between two nations bound by shared values and a common destiny.”
She said the ceremony remembered those whose lives were taken, the families affected by their deaths and the people who responded to the attacks by running toward danger.
Zaluda also called for remembrance to be accompanied by a continued determination to oppose those who threaten freedom.
“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,” she said.
The Wednesday night ceremony was held early because of the approaching Rosh Hashana holiday.
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