"Ground Zero 360," an exhibit commemorating those murdered in the September 11, 2001 (9/11) terror attack on New York's World Trade Center, opened on Sunday at the Rabin Center in Tel Aviv.
Arutz Sheva got to talk with some of those behind the exhibition, including Paul McCormack, a retired NYPD Dep. Inspector and co-organizer of the exhibit. McCormack noted that the 9/11 Memorial Museum is opening on Wednesday in New York, while last week Israeli Memorial Day and Independence Day were observed.
"It was a great synergy to have the exhibition here in Israel during this time," remarked McCormack.
Roughly 600 Jews were among the approximately 3,000 victims of the 9/11 terror attacks that were committed by Al Qaeda terrorists. Three Jewish firefighters were killed trying to rescue those trapped in the World Trade Center; their gear was on display at the exhibit.
New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton came to Israel to inaugurate the event, noting the similar struggle with terrorism shared by Israel and the US.
"We have a shared mission to continually try to prevent acts of terrorism, and to prevent them from winning. We will be successful in doing that," vowed Bratton, even while noting that terrorism threatens to be an issue for several more generations.
Bratton spoke on Sunday at the opening of the exhibit, along with Rabin Center chairperson Dalia Rabin, Israeli Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino, Fire Chief Shahar Ayalon, as well as Dov Shefi, who represented the families of the five Israelis murdered in the attack.
The exhibit has already been seen by a half million people while on display in the US and Ireland, and will be open for free throughout the coming month.
Personal profiles of the American security and rescue forces who were killed in the attack are featured in the exhibit, as well as personal artifacts and pictures from the horrific terror attack.
Shefi mentioned at the opening ceremony the names of the five Israelis killed in the disastrous attack: Hagai Shefi, Lion Livor, Daniel Levin, Alona Avraham, and Shai Levinher, who left behind a six-week old daughter.
"Ground Zero 360" Courtesy of the exhibit