SOPAC Was Setting of South Orange's Candlelight Vigil

As dusk fell, locals gathered, drawn to the SOPAC circle by John Lee's jazz and the glimmer of candles. Sunday's candlelight vigil was the culmination of a day's events planned to mark the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. A photo slideshow of the event is here, courtesy of Patrick Hilaire.

Sunday's evening service began with music by John Lee, Greg Gisbert, Yotam and Even Sherman. Danielle Heggs, Share Pine and Kristen Dziuba, and Minister Steve Hill, Chad Montague, and Kasoundra Clemons from St. James AME Church with Danielle Heggs also performed (see the video).

Local clergy including Pastor Richardson of the First Baptist Church of South Orange; Marie Branigan of the First Presbyterian and Trinity Church; Abdul Alim Mubarak – Masjid Waarith-ud-Deen; Rabbi Boruch Klar - Shluchim of the Lubavitch Center of Essex County; and Fr. Nicholas Figurelli of Seton Hall University took part in the service.

They were preceded first by Village President Alex Torpey and then by former resident Donald Robertson, Sr. Robertson's son, also named Donald, was killed in the terror attacks. Robertson recalled the solace the South Orange community provided in the days and months after Sept. 11, 2001.

The obelisk in front of SOPAC lists the names of three South Orange residents who were killed on Sept. 11, 2001. They are:

Christopher Colasanti

Christopher Faughnan

Donald Robertson

Sunday's service marked the town's loss of those three men, but also those in our broader community. suffered the loss of eleven members, while forged from World Trade Center steel, bears 14 names. A memorial dedicated this weekend in Jersey City lists the names of all the state's victims.

The South Orange Public Library and South Orange Village, in partnership with SOPAC and Seton Hall University planned and executed ten special events to mark the date. The events, which carry into this week, are listed here.

In addition, Patch coverage of South Orange events and local memories of Sept. 11 is here:

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