Miss Chanah Perel (Nancy) Morgenstern o"h was brought
to the Eretz Chaim Cemetery in Beit Shemesh for burial last
week, more than three years after the World Trade Center
tragedy in which she lost her life, when the results of DNA
testing identified her remains among the victims.
Miss Morgenstern, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chanoch Henich
Morgenstern of New York, was 32 and unmarried when the Twin
Towers came crashing down.
As a travel agent at a large travel company in New York, Miss
Morgenstern traveled extensively, keeping Shabbos, kashrus
and all of the other mitzvahs. Everywhere she went she
brought kosher food and sanctified Sheim Shomayim
through her mesirus nefesh for mitzvos.
Five months before 9/11 she began to work at the
administrative offices of Cantor Fitzgerald, a large finance
company occupying the 103rd-105th floors of one of the WTC
buildings. On the day of the attack she arrived at work as
usual and was killed in the horrific terrorist attack when Al
Queda terrorists rammed passenger planes into both
buildings.
Her father, who runs the computer system at the New York
Times, contacted poskim in Eretz Yisroel to ask
how to approach the situation and was given directives on how
to keep the halochos of mourning.
Family members say they have had much chizuk during
the three years since her death and have donated extensively
le'ilui nishmosoh. They set up a fund for the needy
and sponsored the construction of the heichal and
ezras noshim of Beis Knesses Pnei Shmuel in Ramat Beit
Shemesh, and a night kollel there. They also donated
an ambulance to the local chapter of Hatzoloh.
Recently the deceased's remains became available when they
were identified through DNA testing. At the levayoh
held last week (i.e. a few days before Shabbas Shira) at
Eretz Chaim Cemetery in Beit Shemesh she was eulogized by
HaRav Efraim Kirshenbaum, the rov of Kehillas Pnei Shmuel,
her two brothers living in the US, and her brother-in-law R'
Avrohom Shapira, who lives in Beit Shemesh.
Miss Perel Morgenstern, o"h, is survived by her
parents, two brothers and two sisters grieving over their
tragic loss.
