Sta ff pho to by Krista Hus

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City of Southfield

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At the Southfield Civic Center, the silence was
breathtaking. Hundreds gathered for a memorial
service, "A Day of Remembrance." They filled the
seats, and when those were gone, stood at the back
of the room, alongside white-gloved police officers.
Though the program lasted more than an hour,
there was little of the usual shifting in seats, rustling
through bags or even whispered conversation.
News cameras were everywhere, as were armed
policemen who stood near each entrance to the
building. They watched carefully, unceasingly.
Guests entering the room stopped at a table near

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Participants in the
city of Southfield
9-11 commemoration
join hands during the
moment of silence.

West Bloomfield
residents Sam Brown,
Ian Kohler and Zach
Firestone, all 11, hold
onto an American flag
outside Hillel,Day
School.

light display represented those lost in the attacks. At Yeshivat
Akiva in Southfield, students joined others around the nation in
prayer by teleconference.
In general, Detroit Jews spent this 9-11 like other Americans,
in disbelief that a year has passed since the horrific attacks. We
spent the day again seeing images of dust-covered New Yorkers
running and relatives clutching photos of their missing loved
ones. We wondered how the grieving families are doing now, we
reflected on the strength and resolve that has kept our country
going, and we remembered where we were on the day we'll
never forget.

the front for bookmarks inviting messages of sym-
pathy to the 9-11 families (www.keymemories.com),
and bumper stickers that read "Faith Hope and
Victory" with American flags and a yellow ribbon.
Southfield Mayor Brenda L. Lawrence intro --
duced the Rev. Dr. Carlysle Stewart III of the Hope
United Methodist Church, who asked those gath-
ered to hold hands and pray. He called the United
States "one people and one nation and one commu-
nity." As he remembered the victims of 9-11, he
said, "Their blood and flesh and tears have hal-
lowed our ground."
In the audience, one woman wept quietly. Several
bowed their heads. The crowd was comprised of
business people, grandmothers, 'city workers, teens
and parents. There was a preponderance of blue —
Southfield city police officers — and numerous fire-
fighters, forced to make a quick exit in the middle
of the program. (Moments after they walked out,
the sound of sirens and racing fire trucks pierced
the air.)
As the Rev. Stewart concluded, he reminded
those present, "it is not what we have lost, but what
we have left that steadies our path."
As the service came to a close, Rabbi Yechiel
Morris of Young Israel of Southfield asked the gath-
ering to pray for the victims of 9-11, as well as the
fire fighters and police officers who worked with
such honor and commitment that day.
One year has passed, he said, and, while we must
move on, we will never allow ourselves to forget
those whom we have lost."
— Elizabeth App lebaum

❑

— Shelli Liebman Dorfman

9/13

2002

17