Remembering September 11 and Wishing you a Sweet New Year

Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, we continue to remember the lives lost and the courage of the people who came together in its aftermath. We especially remember the first responders, many of whom continue to suffer health consequences from that day.

I remember sitting in my law office in Newark, New Jersey, watching the tragedy unfold from across the river. It inspired me to recommit myself to public service. Shortly thereafter, I started night school at Holy Family University to become a high school civics teacher and later ran for local office.

As we also mark Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, beginning today, we are called to reflect on the year that has passed, consider where we have fallen short, and think about how we can build a better year ahead.

Both occasions remind us of the importance of remembering. We remember not simply to look backward, but to carry the lessons of the past with us. We remember the ways people came together in moments of unimaginable difficulty, as they did following the attacks of September 11^th, and we recommit ourselves to building communities rooted in compassion, service and care for one another.

As families and communities gather to welcome the New Year and commemorate this anniversary, may we remember those we have lost, appreciate those who stand beside us, and look toward the future with hope. A generation has grown up since September 11^th, but the responsibility to remember those who lost their lives that day remains.

May the year ahead be a sweet one, filled with peace, health and togetherness.