Rosh Hashana begins the High Holy Days for Jewish people, days commanded by God to be remembered. Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe or Ten Days of Repentance) begin on September 11, 2026, with Rosh Hashanah. The season concludes with Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
Why do I bring this up? Am I being insensitive? Not at all. For the first time (in 25 years), the Jewish calendar and America’s remembrance of September 11 align.
There are coincidences in many areas of life, but I would like to suggest prayer (because along with gratitude for God seeing America through this most horrible and irreversible change in American life 25 years ago), there will likely be more dangers ahead.
Historical dates, religious dates, and remembrances are commanded by God to be commemorated. History matters. It’s why we build statues and memorials, set dates on our calendars, and record events in historical writings.
History, building, remembering are all parts of instilling identity in us and causing us to reflect upon Whose Image we bear.
God says, “Build, observe, remember!”
Our adversary says, “Tear down, destroy, forget.”
Yes, historical dates, religious dates, and remembrances are vitally important, but please stay alert. They are not just for those who observe them, but they are also marked by one’s enemies. Documented past choices to attack on those anniversary dates are meant to amplify the political message. Benghazi and the Oklahoma City bombing are but two of the better-known anniversary attacks.
I’m thankful our government pays attention to these things and prepares in advance so our remembrances can continue uninterrupted. Terrorist sleeper cells are residing among us in the US, and we should pray the adversaries will be disrupted before they can be activated.
America can never return to the days of naïveté, but we can emerge stronger, more determined, and smarter than we were. Never Forget. Better yet, actively seek to remember.