JCDS and JNF honor Jefferson firefighters with 9/11 plaque

The Jewish Community Day School (JCDS) in a unique partnership with the Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF)  made a special plaque presentation to Jefferson Parish Fire Station 18 as part of the school’s pre-9/11 memorial commemoration. The intent was to honor the firemen who serve their immediate area through their dedication and service and to remember those in New York City who gave the ultimate sacrifice in executing their duty.

JCDS student holds plaque showing JNF 9/11 Memorial.

Members of the JCDS fifth- and sixth-grade classes and head of school Brad Philpson, Ph.D., visited the fire station on Friday, September 9 and made the presentation to the firemen on duty there. The plaque features an image of the JNF’s 9/11 Memorial that was built in the foothills of Jerusalem. The JNF memorial consists of a 30-foot bronze flag that emerges into a flame shape, supported on a base that includes the names of all the victims of the 9/11 victims as well as a steel beam recovered from the scene of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

The JNF 9/11 Memorial is the only memorial outside of the United States that names all of the victims of the attack.

Philipson praised the local firefighters for their service and dedication in keeping the Metairie corridor along which two Jewish schools –the JCDS and Torah Academy – exist.  Fire Station 18 also provides protection to four Jewish houses of worship and the Goldring-Woldenberg Campus that houses JCDS, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and the Anti-Defamation League. It is the region’s largest concentration of Jewish institutions.

The other JCDS grades joined the presentation virtually over a Zoom conference. The other members of the school provided thank-you notes to the firefighters the students had fashioned themselves. The presentation also included the students singing Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.”

Captain Ernie Porche accepted the plaque on behalf of the parish. The JCDS also provided Hebrew “Who Dat” shirts to the firemen.