The tenth anniversary of 9/11 is now on the horizon and most
New Yorkers are thinking of how to commemorate a day in our city’s history that
will never be forgotten. Here at New York
Family, we’ve been doing some research and wanted to share some good ideas
for how to spend Sunday with the kids. Our best to all of you and your families.
—
The Rising
In our September issue, be sure to read an inspiring
article, The
Rising. In it, Heather Ouida of BabyBites honors some of the spouses, children,
brothers, sisters and friends who were lost. Speaking with three women who lost
close family members—two who lost their husbands and one who lost her son—Ouida
discovers the human dimension of 9/11 and how it plays out in the lives of
local families. Ten years later, there is still much to be learned, much to be
remembered and much to be thankful for.
Unmeasured
Strength
To deal with the vast range of powerful emotions after the
September 11th attacks, many New Yorkers turned to writing. Putting pen to
paper helped them to work through some of the frustration, sadness and
disbelief that were perhaps the most indelible marks left after that tragic
day. Some of these writers were spectators who lost close friends and family in
the Twin Towers.
Others were direct victims of the attacks. One woman, Lauren Manning, wrote an
incredible autobiography of her experience on that luckless day, and the
subsequent years of her survival and transformation.
Unmeasured Strength,
which released just last week, captures Manning’s personal journey: “I can’t
leave, I can’t leave my son. I haven’t had enough time with him. I worked so
hard to have him. I can’t leave him now…” And as she later reflects: “I would
not surrender to the terrorists. I would not permit them to define me, or take
one more moment of my life.”
Personally, we couldn’t put this book down. Manning’s candid
and eye-opening revelations, especially as a mother to a one-year-old little
boy on 9/11/01,
had us hooked. How could a relatively new mom with such profound bodily
injuries ever hope to be a mother again? As you’ll find out, she’s done just
that and so much more. Today, she has achieved an inspiring state of recovery,
living in New York City with her
husband, Greg, and their two boys, Tyler and Jagger.
Watch Lauren Manning on The
View this Friday, September 9 and on Saturday and Sunday September 10 and
11, on WCBS-TV.
And Other Stories
Born and raised in NYC, Tim Zagat is a true New Yorker,
through and through. On the day after September 11th, Zagat and his team fed
Ground Zero workers, searched for survivors, helped distraught families and did
whatever they could do to assist in the relief efforts. As Zagat remembers,
“Whether it was the heroism of the police and firefighters rushing into the
towers without regard for their own safety, or ordinary citizens across the
country sending supplies to workers at Ground Zero, the first instinct was to
help.”
With entries from great New Yorkers like Rudy Giuliani,
George Pataki and Daniel Boulud, 9/11:
Stories of Courage, Heroism and Generosity is more than just a
collection of touching reflections.
It is a poignant reminder of the boundless compassion and enduring resilience
of our great city.
September 11 Events
Thursday, September 8
Remembering 9/11 At The Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society on the Upper West Side will open its doors for a special exhibition, Remembering 9/11, which will be free to the public through early November. The exhibit presents a selection of photos taken by professional and amateur photographers in the aftermath of the attacks, as well as letters written to policeman and firemen and drawings of the National September 11 Memorial.
Friday, September 9
Young People’s Chorus of New York City 9/11 Memorial Concert – St. Paul’s Chapel
In memory of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the Young People’s Chorus of New
York City, conducted by Francisco J. Nunez, will sing an inspirational program.
Saturday, September
10
Hand In Hand Remembering 9/11
At 8:46am on Saturday, September 10, a bell will toll and participants will join hands to remember 9/11 and reaffirm a sense of unity and hope for our city. The chain will form just south of Castle Clinton and stretch north along the esplanade and the Hudson River. Anyone can participate, but participants must register at handinhand911.org/register-now.
9/11 Read-A-Thon
The Brooke Jackman Foundation, which promotes literacy for at-risk kids in the greater New York area, will hold its second annual Read-a-thon: A Celebration of Literacy and Hope on Saturday from 12 to 2pm at the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan. The event kicks off with performances by teen rockers Care Bears on Fire, spoken word poets Justin Long-Moton and Ishmael Islam from Urban Word NYC and the Bari Koral Family Rock Band. Readings and children’s authors are also in store.
September
11 Commemorative Performance at Rockefeller Park
The Joyce Theater Foundation will present two free
performances on September 10 and 11 at 5pm
in the Nelson A.
Rockefeller Park
to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001. This special event will feature
performances by the Limón Dance Company with Voices of Ascension; the Paul
Taylor Dance Company with Orchestra of St. Luke’s; A Song for You by
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Matthew Rushing; a world premiere by
Jessica Lang Dance created especially for this occasion; and more. This is a
free event with lawn-seating on a first-come first-served basis.
Sunday, September 11
Giant Recycled Sculpture at CMA
Join CMA artists to construct an enormous
sculpture made out of various recycled materials. Be sure to check out the rest
of their cooler-than-cool programming, in celebration of their big move in October.
The
9/11 Peace Story Quilt Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Remember one of the most important events in our country’s
history with the 9/11 Peace Quilt, created by Faith Ringgold and New York City
students ages 8-19. The quilt promotes intercultural communication and conveys
the importance of reaching across ethnic and religious boundaries to achieve
peace.
Free Admission To The New York Botanical Garden
In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the
September 11 tragedies, The New York Botanical Garden is offering free All-Garden Pass
admission from 10am to
12pm on
Sunday. All New Yorkers, particularly Bronx
residents who may be in search of a way to commemorate the anniversary locally,
are invited to enjoy the Botanical Garden as a beautiful venue that naturally
lends itself to both quiet contemplation and family sharing.
9/11 Day of
Service and Remembrance at The JCC
The JCC in Manhattan
will be hosting a 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance event on Sunday.
Organized community service activities will take place in and outside of their
building on the Upper West Side and include serving lunch at a senior citizens’
center, cleaning up areas of Riverside Park, sending messages to men and women
in the service, creating welcome kits for children in hospitals, preparing
meals for the homeless, reorganizing a public school library, and painting a
not-for-profit thrift shop. All ages welcome.
Wind
Elegy—Remembering 9/11 at Wave Hill
Visitors are invited to inscribe or
illustrate strips of natural-fiber paper with personal reflections in
observance of the tenth anniversary of 9/11. The flag-strips will be affixed to
the Pergola to flutter gently in the breeze. At week’s end, the papers will be
composted to rest in the garden. Free, and admission to the grounds is free all
day.
Viewing The Tribute In Light
The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) will present Tribute in Light, a memorial honoring the victims of 9/11. Two beams of light will illuminate the Lower Manhattan sky beginning at dusk on Sunday. MAS suggests Washington Square Park, Union Square Park, the Empire State Building Observation Deck and the Waterfront Promenade on Roosevelt Island for optimal viewing.
Visiting The 9/11 Memorial
& Museum
To further honor the men and women who lost their lives ten
years ago, you and your family might want to consider visiting the 9/11
Memorial. The Memorial, located at the site of the former World
Trade Center,
features two stunning waterfalls and reflecting pools. The Memorial
Plaza is one of the most
eco-friendly plazas ever constructed. Its design conveys a spirit of hope and
renewal, and creates a contemplative space separate from the usual sights and
sounds of a bustling metropolis.
Looking ahead, the 9/11 Memorial Museum won’t be open until 2012, but a special Preview Site can be viewed
at 20 Vesey
Street. Through
models, renderings, films, and real-time images of construction, visitors can take
in the plans and progress being made at the site. Entry is free. The site is
appropriate for families and children—visitor guides are available to
assist you in your discussion about 9/11 with your kids.
If you decide to stay home on this monumental weekend, you
should give some thought to how you can discuss this date in recent history
with little ones. The right approach is not always obvious, so take some time
to learn how you can best broach the topic. The 9/11 Memorial has provided some
great tips
on talking to children about September 11th. Take a moment. You’ll be glad
you read it.
The Memorial opens to
the public on Monday September 12, 2011 with the reservation of a free visitor pass
online. For more information, visit 911memorial.org.
