September 11, 2001/23 Elul, 5761

As America commemorates the 25th anniversary of what has come to be known as 9/11, we join in mourning the terrible death and destruction caused by bloodthirsty terrorists.

Almost immediately after the shocking terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center Towers and took nearly 3000 lives, we at Agudas Yisroel (and no doubt other organizations as well) were bombarded with phone calls and written communications from the broad tzibbur asking for guidance on how to understand this cataclysmic event: “What message are we supposed to take away from this?” “What does Hashem want from us?” “What are the gedolim saying about this?”

Is there another people who look inward at a time of unfathomable mass terror, who turn to their spiritual leaders for guidance, who recognize that there is a Grand Conductor who is orchestrating all that transpires on the stage of world history? Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu – how blessed are we to be part of Hashem’s chosen people!

On this quarter-century anniversary of 9/11, we have selected a sample of the materials in our Agudath Israel Archives which were produced within a few short days of the incident, demonstrating how sharply Klal Yisroel was focused on the really important questions of the day. The lessons we learned from the Gedolei Yisroel of that day are surely no less relevant today. We hope the following sampling will remind us of those lessons – and also of the privilege we have to be part of a nation that engages in holy introspection in times of confusion.

Watch:

Monsey Asifa

Rabbi Yisroel Simcha Schorr and Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman speak.

Click here to watch.

 

Read:

Living Through Challenging, Awesome Days

Based on a presentation by the Novominsker Rebbe Rabbi Yaakov Perlow zt”l – From the October 2001 edition of the Jewish Observer.

Click here to read and download a printable PDF.

A Message on the Wings of an Eagle

Based on an presentation by Rav Matisyahu Salomon Zt”l – From the October 2001 edition of the Jewish Observer.

Click here to read and download a printable PDF.

Listen:

The Twin Towers: Teshuva and the Torah Perspective

A presentation given by Rabbi Paysach Krohn at the 2001 Agudah Convention. The presentation was given Friday night and re-recorded after Shabbos.

Click here to listen.