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September 14, 2001/Elul 26, 5761, Vol. 54, No. 1
'Surreal' terrorist attacks spark anger, prayer
PETER EPHROSS
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
NEW YORK - Even for North American Jews used to thinking about security issues at home - and confronting terrorist acts in Israel - the series of horrific acts that struck Sept. 11 came as a devastating, unimaginable blow.
"This is surreal. This whole situation seems surreal," said Martin Raffel, the associate director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, whose offices are located in midtown New York, a safe distance from the destroyed World Trade Center.
Before the initial shock wore off from the hijacked plane attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, Israel was offering help, U.S. Jewish groups were reacting with anger and Jewish communities across North America were holding prayer vigils.
At the same time, information was leaking out - and arrests were already being made.
Authorities in Massachusetts identified five Arab men as suspects in the World Trade Center attacks, according to the Boston Herald newspaper.
Two of the men were brothers whose passports were traced to the United Arab Emirates, and one is believed to have been a trained pilot, according to the paper.
One Boston television station reported that authorities learned of four "Middle Eastern" men who arrived at Logan airport late and paid cash for one-way tickets on the flights to California that were later hijacked.
In addition, authorities seized a rental car containing Arabic-language flight training manuals at Logan International Airport, from where one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center originated.
And on Sept. 12, police in Boston and South Florida took several people into custody who may be connected to the attacks.
Also on Sept. 12, the United Jewish Communities canceled the Israel solidarity rally scheduled to take place in New York on Sept. 23.
The UJC, the organizers of the rally, made the decision as a result of "the need of all civilized people to grieve and begin the healing from the horrific events of (Sept. 11), and in full support of law enforcement and public safety officials who are performing their duties under extreme conditions and emotional challenges."
A day earlier, a horrified nation was glued to television screens as fire raged and smoke billowed around the towers after the attacks around 9 a.m. (EST) Sept 11.
The two towers collapsed by mid-morning, wreaking more havoc, claiming even more victims and hampering rescue efforts.
However, New York officials estimated that there could be thousands of casualties from the World Trade Center explosions alone.
Two Jewish groups - the Orthodox Union and Agudath Israel of America - have offices near the World Trade Center, but spokesman for both organizations said all employees are safe.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared a state of mourning in Israel on Sept. 12, and said the terror attacks would prove "a turning point in the war against terrorism."
Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the events Sept. 11 would force the United States to step into Israel's shoes.
"My feeling is that the American government has always understood Israel's dilemma" in fighting terrorism, but "now America, too, will have to struggle with, 'How do you respond, how do you prevent' " this kind of thing, Foxman said.
Though no direct links have been established between the attacks and U.S. support for Israel, some worried about that prospect.
"Will the blame be placed on Israel? Will the blame be placed on the fact of American support?" wondered Foxman, who along with thousands of others across the country was stranded at an airport when the attacks occurred.
JTA Staff Writer Michael J. Jordan in New York and correspondents Florencia Arbiser in Buenos Aires and Toby Axelrod in Berlin contributed to this report.
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