Abraham J. Zelmanowitz "Abe" | Voices Center for Resilience

Abie's story always inspires

Abie's story always inspires me and is one that should never be forgotten. Abe and this wonderful lesson of love friendship and bravery will live forever in the hearts of the loved ones he left behind. May his memory be a blessing.

Posted by Arlene Friedman-Zel

I did not know Abe but knew

I did not know Abe but knew his father -- who was my step-grandfather!

Rabbi Zelmanowitz was very kind to my brother and me ... and his son carried the same trait of loving-kindness.

I hope the Zelmanowitz family will contact me ASAP ... for the first time in March 2010 I will be in Jerusalem and I want to pay my respects to both father and son!!!!!

Please contact me!!! My mother was Marian Legomsky Fair / my father was Joe Fair.

Posted by Marlene Fair-Fischer

Thank you for sharing these

Thank you for sharing these reflections about Abe. I did not know him - In fact I live in a completely different part of the country. But in the days after 9/11 Abe's story of friendship and selflessness touched me deeply. Each year on the anniversary of 9/11 I revisit his story and share it with friends. He is a personal hero to me. God bless!

Published by Mary Ann Folchert

Thank You, Abe

I first heard about Abe's story a while back while browsing stories of survivors and victims of this great tragedy alike. I must say, though I did not personally know Abe, his decision to stay with Ed Beyea on the twenty-seventh floor of their building is one which pulled at my heartstrings. There truly is no greater honor than to be in the service of others, and Abe standing his ground alongside Mr. Beyea in their darkest hour is a testament to human kindness and compassion. Though neither man survived that day, Abe's efforts were not in vain. The world today knows of his choice, his guiding morals, and his willingness to be a friend to a friend in need. His choice is not one many others would have brought themselves to make and, for that, may his memory never be erased.

My sincerest condolences to the loved ones of both Mr. Zelmanowitz and Mr. Beyea; much love from the Show-Me State.

Posted by "B"

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Age:

Place of Residence:

Brooklyn, NY

Location on 9/11:

One WTC

Occupation:

Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Computer Programmer

Dedicated Memorial Sites:

Abe (Avremel) Zelmanowitz Way
Brooklyn Remembers Memorial
Queen Elizabeth II September 11 Memorial Garden
Conseleya 9/11 Memorial
Dewitt 9/11 Memorial
Montclair State University 9/11 Memorial
East Newark 9/11 Memorial
Fair Haven 9/11 Memorial
Freehold Township 9/11 Living Memorial Tree Grove
Crescent Beach Park - Flagpole/Memorial for 9/11 Victims

Personal Memorial Website:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/people/4295.html

Reflections:

The New York Times Portraits of Grief
Abraham Zelmanowitz-Edward Beyea Memorial Scholarship Fund

Biography:

Abe (Avremel) Zelmanowitz 12/30/45 – 9/11/01 Abe was a seemingly ordinary man, a youthful 55 years old, friendly and funny but never loud, talented in many ways but rarely the center of attention. Abe was one of those instinctively creative individuals – beyond merely “handy” – who found a use for every odd bit of raw material around the house. Wood from an old piece of furniture was reincarnated as wall shelves; small pieces of Lucite became a uniquely striking chess set. He was invariably the one who showed up to help install light fixtures, move furniture, paint the garage door. He was also the utterly devoted son who, for many years, walked for over an hour each way, every Sabbath morning, winter or summer, (as an Orthodox Jew he was prohibited from riding in a car on the Sabbath) to spend time with his elderly father, taking him to the synagogue and eating the Sabbath lunch meal with him and then returning home to spend the remainder of the day at his brother’s home. Abe hadn’t married; he shared a house with his brother and sister-in-law and their family and was always an integral part of the Zelmanowitz household. He was adored by his nieces and nephews and their friends, as well, - their Uncle Avremel, - especially for his masterful storytelling talent. As someone who mattered to and was needed by so many, Abe was a “family man” in every sense of the word. At the same time he had his own life; his varied interests included the Torah lectures that he attended, golfing alongside his brother Jack and watching football games with him, creating culinary delights, especially his masterpiece, “Uncle Avremel’s Relish”, and a job and friends to which he was characteristically devoted. One such friend was Ed Beyea with whom Abe worked for the twelve years that he was employed by Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Ed was a quadriplegic ever since sustaining a devastating injury in a diving incident when he was 21 years old. Even though they came from such different backgrounds - Ed was a Christian and Abe an Orthodox Jew - they had many common interests. They enjoyed the same music, from Andrea Bocelli and the 3 Tenors to the Beatles, exchanged books, videos and DVD’s, played computer golf and chess and went out to dinner frequently with other co-workers. If Abe made the reservations he’d make sure that the restaurant was wheelchair-accessible, and if Ed made the reservations he’d make sure that the place was kosher. On that fateful, dreadful day, after the first plane crashed into the North Tower, when others were fleeing the building, Abe chose to remain with Ed. Ed’s aide, Irma Fuller, had been on a higher floor and was coughing badly. Abe told Irma that he would stay with Ed and that she should leave and send a rescue team to help carry Ed down the stairs. We subsequently learned from Mike Burke, that his brother, Captain William Burke of the New York City Fire Department, was with them at the end. Tragically, they all perished. Countless people from all over the country and all over the world have contacted the family, stating how moved and inspired they were to learn of Abe’s truly heroic, compassionate act, a beacon of hope for all mankind at the time of the commission of such unspeakable evil. On the Friday following 9/11, President Bush, in his speech at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., mentioned this man who wouldn’t leave the side of his quadriplegic friend and stayed with him to the end. May his memory be blessed! Jack and Evelyn Zelmanowitz and Family