Rabbi Perl calls for annual Sept. 12 day of kindness after 9/11

As the U.S. approaches the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, Rabbi Anchelle Perl of Chabad of Mineola is urging Americans to mark Sept. 12 each year as a day of friendship, service and civility. The proposal aims to preserve the brief national unity that followed the attacks and translate it into everyday action.

Why it matters: - Rabbi Anchelle Perl is trying to turn the post-9/11 spirit of unity into a recurring civic practice. - The proposal is aimed at a moment when the country is preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. - The idea centers on small acts of kindness and respectful dialogue as a counterweight to division.

What happened: - Rabbi Perl of Chabad of Mineola proposed that Sept. 12 be recognized annually as a “Day of American Friendship and Good Deeds.” - The suggested observance would encourage kindness, community service, gratitude and respectful dialogue across differences. - Rabbi Perl said Sept. 11 should be remembered, but Sept. 12 also revealed something important about the American spirit. - Rabbi Perl said Americans came together after the attacks, with strangers comforting one another and neighbors checking in on neighbors.

The details: - The proposal does not depend on formal legislation or a large organization. - Suggested actions include visiting the elderly, donating blood, helping families in need, thanking veterans and first responders, welcoming neighbors and giving charity. - Proposed Sept. 12 activities could include community service projects, neighborhood gatherings, interfaith and intercultural events, food and blood drives, and public gratitude to emergency responders and military personnel. - The day could also encourage more respectful communication online and a temporary shift away from divisive rhetoric. - Rabbi Perl said patriotism is reflected in how people treat one another in daily life. - Rabbi Perl said democracy depends on disagreement, but disagreement should not become hostility. - Rabbi Perl said the effort is not meant to ignore divisions or complex challenges. - Rabbi Perl said shared citizenship and disagreement can coexist. - Rabbi Perl said meaningful change does not require government action. - Rabbi Perl said friendship cannot be legislated and compassion cannot be mandated. - The concept is summarized as: Sept. 11, remember; Sept. 12, reconnect; Sept. 13, continue.

Between the lines: - The proposal is a direct challenge to the idea that tragedy has to trigger America’s best behavior. - Rabbi Perl is framing civic unity as a choice, not just a reaction to crisis. - The message also arrives as the nation marks both the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 and the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. - The timing suggests a broader call to reflect on how Americans responded to one another after the attacks, not only on the attacks themselves.

What's next: - Rabbi Perl is asking Americans to adopt Sept. 12 as an annual practice of service, civility and gratitude. - The idea could be carried out locally through community groups, houses of worship, schools and neighborhood networks. - The larger test is whether Americans can choose unity without waiting for another national trauma.

The bottom line: - Rabbi Perl wants Sept. 12 to become a standing reminder that unity can be deliberate, not only accidental. It is a call to make the day after remembrance one of action.