JAO and JNF-USA honor local servicemen in memory of 9/11

In recognition of the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, Jewish National Fund-USA partnered with the Jewish Academy of Orlando to honor first responders and security personnel who keep the communities safe. In a moving ceremony, the school community gathered to honor Chief Security Officer Jake Silverman and Mr. Mike, school security.

Head of School Chana Ben- Abraham said "For those of you that were in this room, you know there aren't words to describe the feeling surging through the seats as we paid tribute to our incredible campus and community security team. The applause, appropriately so, was deafening and gave me chills to my core. Some people may think that 9/11 is a topic to shy away from in education today, but everything we do as educators requires a careful consideration of: How do we move forward?"

Both honorees received a plaque featuring Jewish National Fund-USA and KKL-JNF's 9/11 Living Memorial in Jerusalem - the only commemorative site of its type outside of the U.S. that features all the names of those who were killed on 9/11. Established in 2009, the monument is a testament to the enduring connection between Israel and the U.S., and our countries' shared values.

Jewish National Fund-USA also hosted its annual ceremony on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, paying tribute to the victims of 9/11 at its memorial in Jerusalem. Broadcasted globally on social media, the ceremony was attended by U.S Marines, the U.S. Embassy, U.S. police officers, Jerusalem chargé d'affaires, Israeli firefighters, and diplomats from around the world.

For more information about Jewish National Fund-USA's Israel and educational programs, contact Dani Oren, Israel Programs Admissions Director, Atlanta and North Florida at Doren@jnf.org 404-236-8990, ext. 852. For general questions about Jewish National Fund-USA, contact Harrison Shames, Senior Campaign Executive, Orlando at Hshames@jnf.org or 407-804-5568, ext. 896.