Where I Was on 9/11
I don't know if anyone cares, but everyone seems to be asking the question, so I'll tell you where I was on 9/11.
I had just finished Shaharit at my local synagogue when I got into my car to drive to work and turned on our local news radio station 780 AM WBBM, and they were discussing a breaking news story out of New York that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center building. They were not sure if it was deliberate or an accident. A few minutes later they said that they have unconfirmed reports of a second plane hitting the second tower. I'm saying to myself that this is no accident. I specifically remember thinking to myself that this was some Tom Clancy novel coming true.
Anyways, I get to work, and no one can really concentrate on work - they're all talking about what happened in New York. It was so shocking that the company put up a TV screen in the largest conference room so people can see the live news coverage. It seemed like half the office was in that room watching. It was there that I and a bunch of others saw the first tower collapse. Later, we saw the second tower collapse. Both produced gasps and "Oh my G-d!" reactions from the viewers in the room. In retrospect, I should have said Tehillim, but I was shocked out of disbelief - I couldn't believe what I was seeing. ולא יכלו אחיו לענות אתו כי נבהלו מפניו.
May Hashem avenge the blood of all who perished that day. It took almost 10 years to get Osama. The rest will get their due too. If not in this world, the next, but hopefully both. And may we soon see the day that Yishmael will fall, which the Baal Haturim says at the end of Parshat Hayei Sarah says will immediately be followed by Mashiah's arrival. Amen.
posted by yaak @ 9/11/2011 04:39:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Responding first to Parshah Chayei Sarah - Bereishit 25:17..."And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people."
I'm NOT being funny here, but I freaked when I read this last chapter in synagogue last October, because my precious beloved parrot, Ishmael ben Hagar, DIED during this parshah at only 5 years old.
Now, my 9-11 story... I woke up to a clock radio that was screaming, "Oh my GD, oh my GD, I can not believe it, but another plane just flew into the second tower of the WTC!"
I was working with a wedding photographer at the time, and our principle photographer was on vacation in Greece! All international flights were grounded for like a week or so. We always booked a back-up photographer for every wedding just in case. This was the first time EVER that he missed a scheduled wedding! I had crying brides from all over calling for 3 days afterwards. Our brides crying because they didn't want the back-up guy, un-known brides calling for an extra photographer because theirs couldn't fly in, some calling to find a videographer because half their guests including grandma couldn't make it, and were going to have to watch it later. One woman called because they learned that their photographer was killed in NYC! Every wedding that weekend was probably effected somehow, at least with missing guests due to no air travel...you can't expect grandma to drive across the country, she needs to fly! Good thing I was a therapist in my former career...those skills really came in handy!
I was in training that morning at the company I worked for in Indy. Coming out during a break, I ran into a colleague who said something like "It's terrible what they did!". Oblivious of the WTC attacks, I replied, "What, another layoff?". He clued me in and I caught up to the grim news on my computer. I later checked with a cousin who worked near the WTC. Thank G-d, he was OK, but someone he knew was trapped in the WTC, getting out one final call by cellphone.
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My 9/11, a day late.
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