America needs a 9/12 — without another 9/11

Sept. 11, 2001, was a day of unimaginable horror. But those who lived through it also remember what happened the next day.

On Sept. 12, America felt different.

Flags appeared everywhere. Strangers spoke. People donated blood, thanked first responders, checked on neighbors and called family simply to say, "I love you."

For a brief moment, we were not Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives. We were Americans. Twenty-five years later, we should ask: Can we recreate the spirit of 9/12 without another 9/11?

That question is especially urgent as our country confronts deep division and a disturbing rise in antisemitism. Jewish students have felt intimidated on campuses. Jewish institutions require increased security.

Antisemitism is not only a Jewish problem. It is an American problem. When an American is made to feel unsafe because of faith or identity, the American promise itself is diminished. When hatred appears, silence cannot be our response.

The lesson of Sept. 12 was not that Americans suddenly agreed. It was that our differences did not have to make us enemies. Democracy still depends on that principle.

We need to recover a simple sentence: "I disagree with you, but I still respect you."

Perhaps Sept. 12 should become an annual Day of American Friendship and Good Deeds. Visit a lonely senior. Donate blood. Help a struggling family. Thank a veteran or first responder. Meet a neighbor you have never spoken to. Invite someone different from you to your table.

Imagine neighborhood dinners on Sept. 12 with one rule: no politics.

Instead of asking, "Who did you vote for?" ask, "What brought your family to America?" "What do you love about this country?" "What kind of America do you hope to leave your grandchildren?" Behind our labels are people who love, worry, struggle, celebrate, mourn and dream.

Freedom also brings responsibility. Freedom of speech gives us the right to speak. Citizenship asks how we use our words. Religious freedom protects our right to worship — and calls upon us to defend our neighbor’s right to worship without fear.

One good deed may seem small. It isn't. One phone call matters. One invitation matters. One respectful conversation does too. And when antisemitism appears, one person willing to stand up and say, "Not here. Not in America," makes a difference.

Congress cannot legislate friendship. No president can order neighbors to care about one another.

That work belongs to us. So let Sept. 11 remain a solemn day of remembrance — and make Sept. 12 a day of recommitment.

Fly the flag. Perform a good deed. Give charity. Meet a neighbor. Thank someone who serves. Stand against hatred. Then ask yourself: What did I do today to make America a little kinder?

And on Sept. 13, do it again. We should not need another tragedy to remember how precious America is.

We should not need buildings to fall before walls between people come down.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, perhaps the greatest tribute we can offer is not simply to remember how America felt on Sept. 12, but to live that way again. Not for a day. Not because of tragedy. Because it is the kind of country we choose to be.

This guest essay reflects the views of Rabbi Anchelle Perl, the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Sholom Chabad in Mineola.