Woodrow Wilson School Princeton

The School is a major center of education and scholarship in public and international affairs. We prepare our students for careers in public service, particularly government service. The School’s distinctive educational approach emphasizes the marriage of well-honed analytic skills with deep substantive knowledge of the world’s most important policy issues.

Our students are a diverse group of undergraduates and graduates representing different backgrounds and life experiences, yet each enters the School with a demonstrated commitment to public service, and seeks to be an agent of positive change.

The Woodrow Wilson School’s undergraduate program offers Princeton’s only competitive major, and the graduate program features a two-year Master in Public Affairs degree (M.P.A.), a one-year Master in Public Policy (M.P.P.) degree for mid-career professionals, and the Ph.D.

Our faculty and fellows conduct world-class research and produce knowledge on which sound public policy is based; this research also serves to inspire and inform their teaching. In addition, the School’s more than 20 research centers and programs examine the most critical issues in public and international affairs, from international security to global public health, from economics to demography, from globalization studies to education policy.

Woodrow Wilson School alumni are leaders in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors in the U.S. and abroad, where they bring the knowledge and skills they acquired at the School to bear on the policy problems they face in their important work each day. Complementing the undergraduate and graduate curricula, the School’s career services staff work hand-in-hand with students to identify the best public service opportunities for our graduates.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

Mission Statement

The mission of the Truman Scholarship Foundation is:

• to find and recognize college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service; and
• to provide them with financial support for graduate study, leadership training, and fellowship with other students who are committed to making a difference through public service.

Joshua A. Rosenthal - Fiduciary Trust

Truman Scholars - Alumni Bios

JOSHUA (JOSH) A. ROSENTHAL, MPA '81 (deceased)

Senior Vice President, Fiduciary Trust Company International, New York, NY

Josh was selected in 1977 as a Truman Scholar and graduated in 1979 from the University of Michigan. He studied public policy and economics at the Woodrow Wilson School and spent his summer internship at the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, DC. Post-graduation, he became special assistant to the President of the New York Mercantile Exchange, Richard Leone, MPA'65 and PhD '69. Josh worked for Leone for four years including working on the Walter Mondale presidential campaign in 1984.

He then spent nine years with JP Morgan, ending his tenure as vice president of mergers and acquisitions. Next, he joined the development offices of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In 1996, Josh became a portfolio manager at Grantham, Mayo, van Otterloo & Company in Boston. Josh then joined Fiduciary Trust Company International in June 1998 as a senior vice president. Josh Rosenthal died on September 11, 2001 in the attack on the World Trade Center.

Two of Josh's classmates at The Woodrow Wilson School wrote about him and excerpts of their remarks are included here:

"One of the extraordinary things about Josh is how many people would say that he was among the most important people in their lives. But just as extraordinary was how much he meant to people who knew him casually. Once, when I visited him in New York after graduation, I went to work with him at the Mercantile Exchange. From the moment we left the subway, Josh seemed to know every person we met on the way to his office: the news vendor at the corner stand, the security guard, the receptionist, the person pushing the coffee cart. And I don't mean he new their names: I mean he knew them. With each he took a moment to joke and laugh, to ask about their kids, last night's baseball game, how their sore shoulder was doing. And I could see that five minutes - or even two - with Josh was one of the highlights of their day. No matter what mood they had been in moments before, they were of a sudden cheered, comforted …better." - Stephen Rickard, MPA/JD '83

"Josh saw the Wilson School not as just a place, but as a sort of stadium where ideas were tested for practical merit. He was the least ideological person you could find in those days, open to competing points of view, prone to take the other side just to see what it felt like. And yes, he was brilliant, A Truman Scholar who had just finished a stint working for a British Member of Parliament. As a mere summer intern at OMB, Josh's analysis caused the Deputy Secretary of Energy to withdraw significant portions of his testimony on the funding of the Solar Energy Research Institute. But unlike many gifted peers, he never advertised such things." - Thaddeus Huetteman MPA'81

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Joshua Rosenthal, 44, was a senior vice president at Fiduciary Trust.  He was an avid reader, mountain hiker, and sailor. A friend described Mr. Rosenthal as “a wonderfully warm and witty person who was loved and admired by those who knew him.”  A memorial service was held for him at Birmingham Temple in Farmington Hills, Michigan. (http://www.fordschool.umich.edu/alumni/development/rosenthal.html)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Joshua M. Rosenblum, 28,  was an assistant trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was only four days away from marrying colleague Gina Hawryluk on September 11. Ms. Hawryluk stayed home from work that day to plan their wedding. Mr. Rosenblum and co-workers smashed out windows with computers on the 104^th floor to let smoke escape. A memorial service was held for him at Temple Beth El in Cedarhurst, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1793)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Andrew Ira Rosenblum, 45, was a broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. He married his wife, Jill, at Temple Hillel in North Woodmere, New Jersey, and their sons Jordan and Kyle were 14 and 11, respectively, when their father died. Mr. Rosenblum’s friend, Steve Cohen, said, “Andy was the kind of guy that had many circles of friends and many dear friends within each circle.”  (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=3063)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Mark Louis Rosenberg, 26, was a computer programmer for Marsh & McLennan.  He attended Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy in New York and Yeshiva University for a short time. Mr. Rosenberg met his wife, Jennifer, at a Jewish youth event. She said, “He was a great people person. He got along with everybody. He had a great smile and a great sense of humor.”  (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=3332)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Lloyd Daniel Rosenberg, 31, was a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his wife Glenna and three daughters, Samantha, 5, Kaylee, 3, and Alyssa, 1. His wife said that “Lloyd’s passion was being a ‘daddy.’  His girls were his pride and joy. I will forever miss the Saturday mornings when I would sneak downstairs and watch him reading them a book or playing ‘horsie.’”  A memorial service was held for him at Temple Shalom in Aberdeen, New Jersey. (http://www.wallofamericans.com/php_files/wall.php?action=person_info&id=2024)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Sheryl Lynn Rosenbaum, 33, was an accountant and partner at Cantor Fitzgerald.  Her father described her as the “glue” of their family. She was survived by her husband, Mark, and two children, aged 3 months and 17 months. A memorial service was held for her at Temple Har Shalom in Warren, New Jersey. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1791)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Brooke David Rosenbaum, 31, was supervisor in the overseas division of Cantor Fitzgerald. He was sick on September 10, but went to work the next day because, according to a friend, he felt that without him, “the whole place would fall apart.”  He was survived by his mother, Dorothy. A memorial service was held for him at the Jewish Center in Rego Park, New York. (http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0138/names.php)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Faina Rapaport, 45, was a computer programmer working as a consultant to March & McLennan. In 1994, she and her family emigrated from Moscow, Russia to New York. At the time of her death, her son Alex was 25 and her daughter, Elena, 19. Elena said, “I know my mother is still happy about coming to America. She accomplished things that she never would have been able to do in Russia.”  (http://www.legacy.com/LegacyTribute/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=117357)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Joshua Reiss, 23, was a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. An enterprising young man, Joshua began delivering newspapers at age 10, worked in the family business before attending college, and worked full-time as a waiter while also being a full-time student with a double major at college. More than 1500 people attended his memorial service at Adath Israel Synagogue in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. On August 27, 2002, his mother wrote on the internet, “We miss you and still want you to come home. I will always have a void in my soul.”  (http://www.nj.com/september11/lr/index.ssf?/base/obits-0/1013787331166137.xml)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Laurence M. Polatsch, 32, was a partner in equities sales at Cantor Fitzgerald. A prankster, Mr. Polatsch donned a tuxedo and crashed the 2000 wedding of celebrities Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. He ate with actor Jack Nicholson before security guards asked him to leave. Mr. Polatsch’s mother said he once flew back from college to present her with flowers on her birthday. Recently, Mr. Polatsch had resumed a relationship with childhood sweetheart Marni Wasserman, and they were expected to marry. Guttermann Funeral Home in Woodbury, New York confirmed that Mr. Polatsch was Jewish. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1379)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Nancy Morgenstern, 32, was an administrative assistant at Cantor Fitzgerald. She was an Orthodox Jew whose passions were cycling and skiing. She would bring kosher food and the pots and pans needed to stay kosher on cycling racing trips. In a website dedicated to her memory, her mother wrote, “Nancy, I miss you more than mere words can express. Not only were you my daughter, but you were also my best friend.”  A co-worker described Nancy as “one of the most thoughtful, disciplined, funny, crazy, independent women I ever knew.”  Fifty-eight friends wrote tributes to her on her memorial website. (http://nancymorgensternmemorial.org/)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Stuart T. Meltzer, 32, was an energy broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. He had two young sons; the eldest, Jacob, was four years old when he died. His brother, Larry, said he talked with Stuart at least five days a day, often discussing sports. A memorial service for Mr. Meltzer was held at Temple Emeth in Brookline, Massachusetts. (http://www.wesley.edu/athletic/football/2002/Premium%20Archive.htm)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Neil D. Levin, 46, was Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs New York’s three major airports, its port facilities, six bridges and tunnels, and is landlord of the World Trade Center complex. Mr. Levin was at a breakfast meeting at the Windows on the World restaurant atop the north tower when it was hit on September 11. Mr. Levin’s wife, Christine Ferer, called him “the love of my life, the most kind and generous person,” and someone who became a “super-Dad” to Ms. Ferer’s two daughters from a previous marriage. A memorial service for Mr. Levin was held at the Temple Emanu-El in New York City. His family set up a scholarship fund in his name for children of Port Authority employees killed on September 11. (http://www.legacy.com/nytimes/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=96336)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Steven Barry Lillianthal, 38, was a mortgage bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his wife Adina, 4-year old twins, Emma and Gabriel, and a three-month old son, Sam. A memorial service was held for Mr. Lillianthal at Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston, New Jersey. (http://alumni.binghamton.edu/enews/sept/info/)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Alan Lederman, 43, started work for Aon Corporation two months before September 11. Just before reporting to work, he climbed Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the continental United States. Most of his co-workers left the World Trade Center’s south tower, where he worked, but Mr. Lederman stopped to help two women who were paralyzed by panic. A memorial service was held for him at Temple Neve Shalom in Metuchen, New Jersey. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1294)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Nicholas Craig Lassman, 28, was a computer technician for Cantor Fitzgerald. Mr. Lassman studied computers after several years of teaching golf in Florida. He also taught himself how to play the guitar and learned Russian and German so he could read books in those languages. He spoke to his parents, Ira and Laura Lassman, almost every day. A memorial service for Mr. Lassman was held at Temple Beth-El in Cloister, New Jersey. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=2558)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Karen Joyce Klitzman, 38, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. She and her twin sister Donna spoke with each other every day on the phone. Karen had taught English for two years in Macao and Beijing, China, and traveled in Siberia and throughout the Middle East. A memorial service was held for her at Stephen Weiss Free Synagogue in New York City. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=299)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Alan Kleinberg, 39, was just days away from transferring to a different Cantor Firzgerald office on September 11. He was survived by his wife, Mindy, a three-year old son, Sam, a seven-year old daughter, Lauren, and a nine-year old son, Jacob. His mother said Mr. Kleinberg limited his outside interests so he could spend more time with his family. A memorial service was held for him at the Jewish Center in East Brunswick, New Jersey. (http://www.nj.com/september11/lr/index.ssf?/base/obits-0/1013787332166150.xml)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Glenn Davis Kirwin, 40, was a senior vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was also an avid cyclist, runner, golfer, and skier, who would go on 80-kilometer bicycle rides. His wife, Joan, says he always found time to play with his sons, Miles, 10, and Troy, 7, even after long workdays.  A memorial service was held for him at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1760)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Mary Jo Kimelman, 34, had worked for Cantor Fitzgerald for 13 years. Friends and family say she was an extremely loyal, outgoing person who wrote poetry and enjoyed traveling. Her boyfriend, Thierry LeBras, said she had a special talent of listening to people she had just met, getting them to open up about their lives. A memorial service was held for her at Temple Emanu-El in New York City. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=751)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Howard Kestenbaum, 56, was an executive vice president at Aon Corporation. His 24-year old daughter Lauren saw the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Mr. Kestenbaum, who was in the second tower hit, had evacuated his office on the 103^rd floor and was at the 78^th floor when his tower was struck. Witnesses say he was knocked unconscious by flying debris. Mr. Kestenbaum was always joking and made others laugh. He was an active member of Congregation Beth Ann in Verona, New Jersey, visited the sick and old, and volunteered at a homeless shelter. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1914)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Peter Rodney Kellerman, 35, was a vice president and equities trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his wife Robi. Mr. Kellerman had a doctor’s appointment on the morning of September 11, but came to work when the appointment was rescheduled. Friend Jon Bott wrote how he misses Mr. Kellerman’s “infectious humor, your wonderful wit and how comfortable and easy you made people feel.”  A memorial service was held for him at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. (http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=3507)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Andrew Keith Kates, 37, was a senior managing director of Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his wife Emily Terry, two daughters, Hannah, 5, and Lucy, 3, and a son, Henry, 1. His wife said that although Mr. Kates was a serious bike rider, swimmer, and runner, having run the New York Marathon in three hours and 15 minutes, his family came first. Every Saturday morning, the children would crowd into bed with Mr. Kates and his wife. A memorial service for him was held at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1200)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Shari Ann Kandell, 27, was a support staffer at Cantor Fitzgerald. She loved the theater and was studying for a degree in English in the evenings. Her father said, “the overwhelming and outstanding quality that Shari showed all her life was her total selflessness.”  Many at her memorial service at Temple Beth Rishon in Wyckoff, New Jersey spoke of her giving priority to the needs of others. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1757)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Steven A. Jacobson, 53, was a transmission engineer working on the 110^th floor of  World Trade Center’s north tower. His job was to keep the WPIX television station on the air, no matter what happened. After working the night shift at the television station, he opened the Town and Village synagogue where he worshipped. Mr. Jacobson was survived by his wife, Deborah, and two daughters, Rachel and Miriam. Family was the most important thing to him; he called his mother every day. Colleagues say he called them on September 11, saying his room was filling with smoke but it was too hot to leave even though he was having trouble breathing. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1731)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Steven A. Jacobson, 53, was a transmission engineer working on the 110^th floor of  World Trade Center’s north tower. His job was to keep the WPIX television station on the air, no matter what happened. After working the night shift at the television station, he opened the Town and Village synagogue where he worshipped. Mr. Jacobson was survived by his wife, Deborah, and two daughters, Rachel and Miriam. Family was the most important thing to him; he called his mother every day. Colleagues say he called them on September 11, saying his room was filling with smoke but it was too hot to leave even though he was having trouble breathing. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1731)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Aaron Jacobs, 27, was a vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was making plans for a honeymoon, perhaps to Africa, with his bride-to-be, Jeannine McAteer. He had backpacked through Europe, taught English in Mexico, and climbed a volcano in Greece. His dream was to retire at an early age and travel. He also taught job skills to welfare recipients. A memorial service for him was held at Temple Emanuel in Newton, Massachusetts. http://www.legacy.com/LegacyTribute/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=94810

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Brooke Alexandra Jackman, 23, had just started working as an assistant bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. On September 10, 2001, she had told her mother she was applying to Columbia University’s School of Social Work because “there is more to life than making money.”  A crowd of 1,000 to 1,500 attended her memorial service at the Jewish Center in Oyster Bay, New York. She had volunteered a community soup kitchen and a thrift shop for cancer patients. (http://www.antonnews.com/oysterbayenterprisepilot/2001/09/28/news/)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Daniel Ilkanayev, 36, was a senior programming analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald. Mr. Ilkanayev was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, in the former Soviet Union. He was one 16 Russian-speaking Jews who perished in the 9/11 attacks, according to World Congress of Russian Jewry. (http://www.wcrj.org/newsletters/wcrj-eng.pdf)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Aaron Horwitz, 24, was a bond broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was described as a showman who loved entertaining people, someone who “seized souls, not letting go until he made them merry.”  A memorial service was held for him at the Brotherhood Synagogue in New York City. (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_3_54/ai_82757180)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Marcia Hoffman, 52, was vice president and senior technical architect at Cantor Fitzgerald. A former child-welfare worker, she switched to a career in computers. She was survived by her husband, Jim, and her daughter, Lara. A memorial service was held for her at the Kane Street Synagogue in New York City. (http://www.legacy.com/LegacyTribute/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=111441)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Steven Goldstein, 35, had started work for Cantor Fitzgerald two weeks before September 11. Working in his basement, he had started and developed an online trading system, which he sold to Cantor Fitzgerald. His wife said his motivation was to make a lot of money and retire so he could spend time with his family. She said he loved nothing more than spending time with his one-year old son Harris and three-year old daughter Hanna. Mr. Goldstein had been a member of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi when at the University of Michigan. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1882)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Monica Goldstein, 25, was an accounts specialist at Cantor Fitzgerald. She spent long hours at her older sister’s house, caring for her two young nephews and visiting with her sister. Her father said, “Her smile and her laugh were infectious. … The loss has totally changed our lives. We’ll never be the same anymore. … She was a very, very special person.”  Ms. Goldstein was engaged to be married in September 2002. A memorial service was held for her at the Congregation B’nai Israel in Bay Terrace, New York. (http://www.silive.com/september11/lr/index.ssf?/september11/lr/goldstein.html)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Michelle Herman Goldstein, 31, worked as a broker for Aon Risk Services insurance company. She had married her busband, Edward Goldstein, exactly seven months before 9/11. After the first plane struck the North tower of the World Trade Center, she called her mother, a Hebrew teacher at the Tamarac Jewish Center in Florida, from the 96^th floor of the South tower to reassure her that she was all right. Her mother described her as “full of life. She lights up a room when she smiles.”  (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=715)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Michelle Herman Goldstein, 31, worked as a broker for Aon Risk Services insurance company. She had married her busband, Edward Goldstein, exactly seven months before 9/11. After the first plane struck the North tower of the World Trade Center, she called her mother, a Hebrew teacher at the Tamarac Jewish Center in Florida, from the 96^th floor of the South tower to reassure her that she was all right. Her mother described her as “full of life. She lights up a room when she smiles.”  (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=715)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Jeffrey Grant Goldflam, 48, was senior vice president and chief financial officer at Cantor Fitzgerald. Mr. Goldflam was survived by his wife Risa and two children. He was a track and soccer star in high school. Robert Kayton, a college acquaintance, remembered Mr. Goldflam as “easygoing, friendly, and helpful.”  A memorial service was held for him at Temple Beth Tohar in Melville, New York. (http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=1213)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Lee Alan Adler, 48, was a computer designer at Cantor Fitzgerald. Mr. Adler was a member of the board of trustees of Temple Beth Ahm in Springfield, New Jersey, where memorial services were held for him. He was married to his wife. Alice, for 15 years and had a 12-year old daughter. His daughter wrote in a February 22, 2002 message on an internet memorial site, “Daddy I love you!”  (http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=374)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Marina Romanova Gertsberg, 25, was one of 16 Russian-speaking Jews who perished in the 9/11 attacks, according to World Congress of Russian Jewry. Her family had emigrated from Odessa, Ukraine to the United States when Marina was four so that her father would not have to serve with Soviet forces in Afghanistan. She joined Cantor Fitzgerald as a junior manager one week before September 11. A memorial service for her was held at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center in Brooklyn, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=712)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Steven Paul Geller, 52, was an institutional trader for Cantor Fitzgerald. Mr. Geller loved to cook with his daughter, Hali, 12. He was also survived by his wife, Debra. A memorial service was held for him at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=2549)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Douglas B. Gardner, 39, was a vice chairman at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his wife, Jennifer, and two children. Memorial services were held at the Stephen Weiss Free Synagogue in New York City. (http://www.espeed.com/articles/article09202001.htm)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Arlene Eva Fried, 49,  was vice president and assistant general counsel at Cantor Fitzgerald. She met her future husband Ken when she was 15 and he was 17. When the youngest of their three daughters entered kindergarten, Arlene went back to school to study law. Her parents, Nicholas and Ronnie Joseph, were both survivors of Nazi concentration camps; her mother had been at Auschwitz. They wrote, in a October 13, 2003 internet tribute, “As Arlene Joseph Fried’s parents, the loss is indescribable; a daughter with indescribable warmth and love toward her whole family and friends – losing her left an unhealable wound in our hearts.”  A memorial service was held for her at Temple Beth Shalom in Roslyn, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1499)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Morton H. Frank, 31, was an insurance equities broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. In college, he was a member of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi. A childhood friend said he had “a fun-loving spirit and a wonderful heart.”  He had married his wife Jessica 14 months before 9/11. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1747)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Peter Feidelberg, 34, worked for Aon corporation. Mr. Feidelberg was from Montreal, Canada, and worked at Aon with his wife, Meredith Ewart, whom he had married in March 2000. According to the Canadian Jewish News, Mr. Feidelberg attended Jewish Peoples School, ran in the 1998 New York Marathon, enjoyed rugby, mountain biking, skiing and scuba diving, and had backpacked through Europe, Costa Rica, Turkey and other countries. (http://www.cjnews.com/pastissues/01/sept27-01/main.asp)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Peter Feidelberg, 34, worked for Aon corporation. Mr. Feidelberg was from Montreal, Canada, and worked at Aon with his wife, Meredith Ewart, whom he had married in March 2000. According to the Canadian Jewish News, Mr. Feidelberg attended Jewish Peoples School, ran in the 1998 New York Marathon, enjoyed rugby, mountain biking, skiing and scuba diving, and had backpacked through Europe, Costa Rica, Turkey and other countries. (http://www.cjnews.com/pastissues/01/sept27-01/main.asp)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Steven Mark Fogel, 40, was vice president and assistant general counsel for Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his wife Kori, a son and a daughter. A memorial service was held for him at Temple Emanuel in Westfield, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=705)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Michael Allen Davidson, 27, was an equity options trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. A co-worker named Jay wrote, “He could have been the nicest, most sensitive person I have ever met. Everyone loves him.”  He was engaged to be married the following July to Dominique DeNardo. Mr. Davidson was survived by his mother Ellen. A memorial service was held for him at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1845)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Michael Allen Davidson, 27, was an equity options trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. A co-worker named Jay wrote, “He could have been the nicest, most sensitive person I have ever met. Everyone loves him.”  He was engaged to be married the following July to Dominique DeNardo. Mr. Davidson was survived by his mother Ellen. A memorial service was held for him at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1845)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Kevin Sanford Cohen, 28, was a computer support person for Cantor Fitzgerald. He was survived by his parents, Barry and Marcia, and a brother Neil. His mother said that when she had asked him why he didn’t slow down, he replied, “Mom, I believe in living life to the fullest.”  A memorial service was held for him at Neve Shalom in Metuchen, New Jersey. (http://www.nj.com/september11/lr/index.ssf?/base/obits-0/1013787332166152.xml)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Shimmy D. Biegeleisen, 42, was vice president of Fiduciary Trust International.  Susan Townsend, who interviewed for a job at Mr. Biegeleisen’s company, described him “a genuinely kind and gentle soul, a man of true integrity.”  A friend, Joseph Weinberger, said he was “a person with a golden heart, loved everybody, always with a smile.”   Another described him as “a perfect mix of God-fearing, friendly, and fun.”  Tony Skutnik said he was “a kind and gentle man, generous and forgiving almost to a fault.”  He was survived by a wife and five children. (http://www.legacy.com/LegacyTribute/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeGuestBook&PersonId=107479&GuestPage=2)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Joshua David Birnbaum, 24, was an assistant bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. His best friend, Leehe Matalon, wrote, “Josh’s smile always managed to light up the faces of those he surrounded himself with. He had a special charm ….”  He was survived by his parents, Sam and Marcel, and a sister, Jill. A memorial service was held for him at the Sephardic Congregation of Long Beach in Long Beach, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1025)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Alvin Bergsohn, 48, was an equities trader at Cantor Fitzgerald.  From a picture posted on the Internet, it appears that he was survived by a wife and two sons. A service was held for him at the South Baldwin Jewish Center in Baldwin Harbor, New York. (http://www.september11victims.com/september11Victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=518)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Debbie S. Bellows, 30, was an executive assistant at Cantor Fitzgerald.  She was survived by her husband Sean, who wrote, “Debbie meant the world to me. ... My heart will always be filled with the love and beauty that filled her soul.”  A memorial service was held for Ms. Bellows at the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, New York. (http://www.wallofamericans.com/php_files/wall.php?action=person_info&id=743)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Michael Edward Asher, 53, was vice president and senior technology architect at Cantor Fitzgerald. On September 10, 2001, he talked with his son Jeremy, 18, about rebuilding an old Jaguar automobile. Mr. Asher was also survived by his wife Dana and a daughter, Rachel, 16. A memorial service was held for him at the Monroe Temple of Liberal Judaism in Monroe, New York. (http://www.legacy.com/LegacyTribute/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonID=122588)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Joshua Aron, 29, was an equities trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. Joshua’s father, Barry Aron, says, “Not a minute goes by in a day that I don't think about Josh. … It's like part of you being ripped out and you can't replace it.”  Barry talks to his son’s widow, Rachel daily. Mr. Aron and Rachel would have celebrated their first wedding anniversary on September 16, 2001. Memorial services were held at the Oceanside Jewish Center in Oceanside, New York. (http://www.gazette.net/200236/montgomerycty/county/119688-1.html)

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Lee Alan Adler, 48, was a computer designer at Cantor Fitzgerald. Mr. Adler was a member of the board of trustees of Temple Beth Ahm in Springfield, New Jersey, where memorial services were held for him. He was married to his wife. Alice, for 15 years and had a 12-year old daughter. His daughter wrote in a February 22, 2002 message on an internet memorial site, “Daddy I love you!”  (http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=374)

The Jews Knew? (Conspiracy Theories And The Jewish Victims Of 9/11 Alert)

Hagay Shefi, 34, was the co-founder and chief executive of GoldTier Technologies, a software company. Mr. Shefi had lived in the United States for eight years, after emigrating from Israel, and was close to becoming a U.S. citizen. He was in the Windows on the World restaurant atop the World Trade Center to make a business presentation when it was struck. On September 16, 2001, his body was found intact in the rubble. He was survived by his wife Sigal, also from Israel, a five-year old son and a three-year old daughter.

The 4,000 Jews Rumor

Marina Romanova Gertsberg, 25, was one of 16 Russian-speaking Jews who perished in the 9/11 attacks, according to World Congress of Russian Jewry. Her family had emigrated from Odessa, Ukraine to the United States when Marina was four so that her father would not have to serve with Soviet forces in Afghanistan. She joined Cantor Fitzgerald as a junior manager one week before September 11. A memorial service for her was held at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center in Brooklyn, New York. (http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=712)

Cantor Fitzgerald employee of one week on victim list

Deb's Dilemmas

 

Saturday, September 09, 2006

A September 11, 2001 Tribute

Marina R. Gertsberg

"That day she had to go to school and that's why she was early." Roman Gertsberg, Ground Zero, 9-11-2002


On Tuesday September 4, 2001, Marina Gertsberg walked into 1 World Trade Center, and rode the elevator up to the 101st floor to start her new job as a Junior Manager at Cantor Fitzgerals. She had left her old job at Morgan Stanley because she was beginning a graduate program at Baruch College.

Four days later, September 8, she glided down the aisle of a church in Brooklyn in an elegant purple dress as maid of honor for her best friend Clara's wedding. Then she danced the night away.

At 10:00 pm Monday, September 10, Marina called her parents from her Brooklyn apartment to tell them that she was home for the night, she was safe, and to wish them a good night, as she did several times a week.

She had a day full of work and school ahead of her, so she decided to get an early start on Tuesday morning.

Marina Romanova Gertsberg was 25 years old on September 11, 2001. She was beautiful, intelligent, and funny. She had gorgeous, baby-blue eyes that seemed bottomless, through which shone her soul. She had a contagious, engaging smile that translated into the way she lived her life: with zest, confidence, adventure, wit, and love.

She graduated with honors from a school for the gifted, and from Stuyvesant High School, and for college from SUNY Binghamton. She learned Hebrew because she wanted to study in Israel. She wanted to visit her birthplace, the city of Odessa in the Ukraine (Her family emigrated to the U.S. when she was four years old). She learned Russian so she could speak to her grandparents in their native language. She was seeing a young man who had every chance of one day being her husband.

She was her parents' only child.

Marina is loved and remembered and missed by everyone who knew her, because of her sunny personality, goodness and strength of character, and her love of life. The world is richer because she existed.

"We see her in dreams. We talk to her. Usually when a person have a dream, they wake up and say, you know, thank God it was a dream, but we have opposite thing. We don't want to wake up." Anna Gertsberg, Ground Zero, 9-11-2002

To her friends and loved ones: Remember that a life lived fully and well, as Marina's was, though brief, is not wasted but is a precious gift.