Teruah: a call to action

Community weighs in on effect of Sept. 11

Jewish News asked various local residents to respond to the question: "How has your life changed since Sept. 11?"

Following are their replies:

Jay Bycer
Coordinator, American Red Magen David for Israel (ARMDI)

As someone who is involved in life-saving efforts from acts of terrorism in Israel, the events of Sept. 11 brought home how much the efforts of our emergency and medical personnel are needed and appreciated. During the past two years, we have all heard and read about the terrorist acts in Israel, and as much as we felt for those injured and killed, it was still far away.

I hope that Sept. 11 brings us all closer together and motivates all of us to make that extra effort to assist financially those organizations that are essential to saving innocent lives that are impacted by terrorist acts throughout the world.

Jackie Adler
Financial services professional

My priorities have changed the most. Family and friends take precedence, and I try to live every day to its fullest.

Lee C. Eisinberg
Financial consultant

Sept. 11 has had a big effect on the industry I work in. The impact was immediately felt in the investment world with the closure of the stock markets until the following week.

In a way, the event of Sept. 11 has affected me in my job because I need to spend a lot more time reminding and reassuring clients and investors to stick to their plans and not make emotional decisions with their investments.

As much as it is important not to forget this event or the people who were killed, I hope as time goes on and the pain and horrible memories fade, we will all be able to move forward with our lives.

Steven Schwarz
President, Young Leadership Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix

Obviously, Sept. 11 was a tragic day for our country, and the impact of viewing terrorism as it occurred will always be with me. Even prior to this event, I was constantly aware of the force of terrorism and evil and the fact that we have to fight it while at the same time live with it among us.

As a Jew who has followed the situation in Israel and the terrorism around the world pretty closely - and whose father was born in Germany during the Holocaust - I have always tried not to take life for granted and have tried every day to live life to the fullest and ensure that it has meaning.

Jeffrey Frankel
Beth El Congregation

For me, Sept. 11 was a big personal change. Those around me began to understand what we as Jews deal with daily. Sept. 11 taught us that we are all targets and need to be conscious of the goings on around us.

I think we as a Jewish community, a general community, and a country are more unified that ever before. My hope is that the public continues this sense of unification and that our world finds peace.

Sally Baker
Great Ideas

After the Sept. 11 attacks, I found myself in a tremendous amount of fear and was almost paralyzed by it. My only way out was with the help of a friend and coach, Vickie Champion, who helped me to have a mantra ... a focus for my life. I decided to do my best to radiate love.

My mantra is "be love now." A focus on being loving keeps me grounded, keeps my heart open, and greatly helps with listening to my intuition.

Another thing that keeps me going after Sept 11 is the love other people demonstrate to each other ... to put forth hope.

Small things matter. We each make a difference, and eventually it becomes cumulative.

Davita Solter
Assistant Principal, Canyon Elementary School, Peoria

My life has changed in a positive way in the respect that I realize I must take the time for my family and friends more seriously. As we learned, one never knows when it will be the last time to see anyone.

I have also found that others are quicker to volunteer for community service as they try to continue the sense of community that we saw right after Sept. 11. It is easier to ask people to wear red, white and blue, give blood or be on a committee. It is sad that it took a tragedy such as this for people to realize what we have in this great country. I hope we don't begin to take this for granted.

Marilyn Sloan
Project Manager, Bull

I am living more in the present instead of living in the future. Instead of postponing doing something until tomorrow, I do it now. I am enjoying the moment and creating happy memories.

Falynn Glickstein
President, ASU for Israel

Yes, the attacks have most definitely affected my life as a whole. Not only did I find myself learning about things that I did not know, but using my newfound knowledge to educate those around me. I began to see the ignorance that surrounds many people, and that there was a need for people to learn not only about Israel but the Middle East as a whole.

Ari Louis
Religious chairman of the Hillel board at ASU

I personally will not consider the date (Sept. 11) different, although I know everyone around me will. The reason for my approach is my belief that a date on the Roman Christian calendar has no spiritual significance. I feel that the 27th of Elul is the proper day to recall the horrific and tragic events that happened at the World Trade Center.

My life was affected (by Sept. 11) to a certain degree. In the ASU community, I noticed a lot more anti-Arab and anti-Islam feelings and sentiments on campus and noticed more hate.

Jere M. Friedman
Rogers & Theobald LLP

I think the only significant impact that Sept. 11 had on my life is to make me more aware of how pervasive the threat of terrorism is throughout the world, especially anti-American, anti-Israeli, and anti-Semitic terrorism. Before Sept. 11, suicide bombers and terrorist threats were very far away and directed at others, but now I realize that no place on earth will ever be safe from senseless fanaticism.

I recently had lunch with a 40-year-old man who suddenly confided that he has a brain tumor. There is no treatment - he knows that he will die in a matter of months, perhaps two years at the most. He will leave behind two young daughters. I went home that night and hugged my family and pledged that I would hug them and tell them I love them often. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Home