Friday marks the 30th anniversary of a terrorist attack on the Brooklyn Bridge that killed a Brooklyn teenager.

A gathering was held near the ramp where a terrorist shot at a van carrying Ari Halberstam and a group of Jewish teenagers.

The emotion-filled memorial had one over-arching message of unity and emphasized that the work to counter hate and terrorism is as important now as it was 30 years ago.

Devorah Halberstam, Ari's mother, was joined by state and local leaders to mourn her loss, lighting candles and reflecting on what many consider to be one of the worst pre-9/11 terror incidents.

"Today we remember Ari, but we must never forget what he lived and died for,” said Halberstam. “Hate has seeped into our society like a plague, and we need to make changes.”

Devorah Halberstam has played a major role in creating the Jewish Children’s Museum and has advocated against antisemitism, helping change and create laws on counter-terrorism that have changed how the country perceives and prevents terror attacks.