'Don't Forget the Evil that Took Their Lives'

Residents, public officials, police officers and members of local fire departments gathered in Cedarhurst Park on Tuesday to honor the first responders and victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Bruce Blakeman, whose nephew perished at the World Trade Center, spoke on behalf of families who lost someone 11 years ago.

“They don’t want you to forget the evil that took the lives of the people we care about,” said Blakeman, a former presiding officer of the Nassau legislature and former commissioner of the Port Authority. “We never want you to forget that there are people who continue to do evil because they can’t understand our way of life.”

Members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst and Inwood fire departments saluted as the names of local victims of 9-11 were read by LCFD Assistant Chief Anthony Rivelli, Jr.: Jurgens, Neil Levin, Kevin O’Rourke, Joseph Rivelli, Jr., Bettina Browne Radburn and Ira Zaslow.

Rabbi Kenneth Hain, of , reminded the audience that Sept. 11 falls a week before the Jewish High Holidays.

“Rosh Hashanah is also a day of remembrance, and that too is why we’re here — to reflect on the memory of the real people we lost,” he said. “We must continue to defend our nation and like-minded nations to defeat those who preach evil.”

Rev. Msgr. Paul Rahilly, of , echoed Hain’s remarks in his benediction, while thanking God for the past decade.

“It is your gift of grace that has allowed us to live through these 11 years,” he said. “This memorial is not over, because the war is not over.”