Thursday, October 1, 2026
Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks changed the nation forever, communities across the Five Towns will gather this month to remember the lives lost and reflect on the lasting impact of that day.
Local ceremonies will take different approaches to the anniversary, from traditional memorial observances to an interfaith service centered on peace and unity.
Father Chris Ballard of Trinity-St. John’s Church in Hewlett, will host an Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Peace at 9 a.m. on Sept. 11, in the church’s new Chapel of Peace. The outdoor space is designed to bring people of different faiths together.
The service will include representatives of the Abrahamic faiths as well as Hindu, Buddhist and Baha’i traditions. Prayers will be offered for those who died in the attacks and for peace in a world that continues to experience violence.
For Ballard, the service has added significance because it will be the first held in the newly created chapel.
“It’s really about the creation of the Chapel of Peace,” Ballard said. “This comes from the community. This is about us being together, regardless of our faith, what faith we share.”
Ballard said he had envisioned creating a sacred, interfaith space in the large green area next to the church’s rectory. He described it as a place where people can gather and recognize one another’s traditions.
“In one place, we are different and that we see and honor each other,” Ballard said. “This space was created for exactly the type of worship that we’re going to be doing on September 11th.”
The service will begin with a cellist providing music before faith leaders offer prayers of remembrance from their respective traditions. There will also be prayers for peace before the gathering concludes.
Rather than focusing on the traditional reading of victims’ names and ringing of bells, Ballard said the service will take a broader, contemplative approach.
“This is really remembering those who lost their lives on 9/11, but also we’re mourning our sense of peace and we want something back,” he said.
The Chapel of Peace at 1138 Broadway in Woodmere will be formally unveiled and dedicated on Sept. 9, with a gathering table serving as its centerpiece. Ballard hopes it will eventually host additional interfaith gatherings.
The service is being held in partnership with LI Faith, an interfaith coalition.
In Cedarhurst, the village will hold its annual memorial ceremony at 11 a.m. on Sept. 11, at Andrew J. Parise Park. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will move inside Village Hall.
JoMarie Capone, former Village of Cedarhurst clerk who remains involved with the ceremony, said the annual gathering is particularly meaningful because seven people from the Five Towns and surrounding communities were killed on Sept. 11.
“We have to never forget, and always remember,” Capone said.
The seven local victims are Thomas Jurgens, 27; Neil Levin, 47; Bettina Browne-Radburn, 49; Joseph Rivelli Jr., 43; Kevin O’Rourke, 44; Howard Selwyn, 47; and Ira Zaslow, 55.
Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock said the ceremony is personal for the community.
“For us it’s personal,” Weinstock said. “We remember and pay tribute to our community and those who are listed on our 9/11 monument.”
The village ceremony will include participation from local fire departments, the American Legion and the Lawrence school district, according to Capone.
The Village of Lawrence is also preparing its annual commemoration, with local first responders and community members expected to participate.
