Elizabeth—“An event of the magnitude of 9/11 can be commemorated in so many ways,” said Dr. Goldie Grossman, the Assistant Principal of the Yeshiva of Elizabeth’s elementary division.

This year, throughout both the Early Childhood and Elementary divisions, age-appropriate classroom discussions and presentations ranged in focus from the 9/11 Memorial to the symbolism of the original towers.

The day itself was marked by a school-wide moment of silence in all three divisions including the Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy and Bruriah high schools.

A student presentation to the upper grades of the yeshiva division on “Heroes of 9/11,” left many students inspired and awed. “On 9/11 there were many brave people,” said one sixth grader, “they didn’t even have super powers like Superman or Batman. . . They had a heart.”

“As the original 9/11 recedes into the past, its lessons are essential as our students grow into citizens of the world,” said Grossman at the culmination of the day’s activities.

At Yeshivat Noam, the terror attack of September 11, 2001 was commemorated with an inspirational tekes (ceremony) for grades 5-8. The tekes started with an introduction by Rabbi Chaim Hagler, principal of Yeshivat Noam. Rabbi Hagler explained that although lives were tragically lost, the terrorists failed in their goal to break the American spirit. The tragedy brought Americans together and the American principles of freedom and liberty still prevail.

Students then observed a moment of silence and said a special tefillah (prayer) composed in recent times to commemorate the day. This was followed by a first person narrative by Lenny Hanauer, who was a member of the River Edge Fire Department at the time and has since joined the Teaneck Fire Department. He discussed what it was like for him when he went down to Ground Zero to help with the recovery on September 12. Lenny shared both how he was inspired by the collaborative and collective effort of all the volunteers who were helping in different ways, as well as how he was saddened by seeing the debris and realizing all the lives that were lost.

The tekes continued with short video clips of students who were near Ground Zero recounting what they saw and the singing of The Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah.

By Adina Abramov, By Becky Troodler