Dr. Moshe Sokolow, Professor of Jewish Education at the Azrieli Graduate School of Yeshiva University and Coordinator of the West Side branch of Hatzoloh Volunteer Ambulance Corps spoke about his personal experiences on 9/11. All of us in the auditorium that morning were taken on a difficult journey. At times, we could almost taste, smell and feel the ash and debris surrounding Ground Zero.  Hearing Dr. Sokolow’s passionate description of the valiant efforts of firemen, emergency workers and Hatzoloh members was a humbling experience: 

“The tableau that has left the most profound impression on me was that of the emergency personnel: the New York City firemen, police and paramedics. With thousands of people running pell-mell AWAY from the towers, they were rushing frantically TOWARDS those same towers.

How incredible! Fires are spreading, debris is scattering, smoke is billowing and there were people rushing TOWARDS it as though their lives depended on it!

Well, actually not THEIR lives, but OUR lives--yours and mine.

Had the buildings not collapsed, hundreds, nay, thousands of people would have owed their lived to these rescuers who were literally walking through fire, in blatant disregard for their own lives, to offer a glimmer of hope to the people trapped on the stricken floors.

כל המקיים נפש אחת מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו קיים
(עולם מלא (סנהדרין ד :ה

If the attempt to sustain a single life is equated by the Torah with sustaining the entire world, how many thousands of worlds were sustained in that brief hour’s interlude between life and death?”           

As Dr. Sokolow’s story of the bravery and selflessness of so many unfolded, we became aware of our own potential to do good:

“…and that each of us has been challenged by God to commit our talents and resources to making a difference in the world…”