After the news that a plot to blow up John F. Kennedy International Airport was foiled, Mayor Bloomberg seemed to take an Alfred E. Neuman “What, me worry?” attitude.

Seeking to calm any hysteria about what was being called a disaster with more potential than the attacks of September 11, 2001, the mayor said: “There are lots of threats to you and the world. There’s the threat of heart attack for genetic reasons. You can’t sit there and worry about everything. Get a life!”

This phlegmatic reaction from Mr. Bloomberg is rather puzzling considering his aggressive battle against smoking and the smoker. The problem with using this play-it-down approach about a serious matter is that it repeats President Bush’s biggest mistake, which he made almost immediately after the World Trade Center attacks.

On September 20, 2001, in an address to a joint session of Congress, Mr. Bush urged Americans: “I ask you to live your lives and hug your children. I know many citizens have fears tonight, and I ask you to be calm and resolute, even in the face of a continuing threat.”

Quite a few Americans not only got on with their lives, they completely forgot that we had entered into a global war on terrorism. In all fairness to the president, in later speeches he urged us to get more involved in civil defense, but those speeches never received as much press. In the minds of many, the war on terror is strictly Mr. Bush’s personal battle.

But not every American has his head stuck in the sand, and whenever a terrorist plot is thwarted thanks to vigilant police and FBI cooperation, it confirms the need for greater public participation in this battle.

So while it’s a relief to learn that not all young adults are vapid night crawlers, that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to party for a good cause. Next Thursday, June 14, at 7 p.m., there will be a fundraiser for Fuel for Truth at a hot new club, Arena, at 135 W. 41st St., off Sixth Avenue.

The young organizers of the group believe that the best defense against terrorism is an alert and aware public. Using cutting-edge entertainment to serve up the key facts at an event they call “Behind Enemy Lines,” the promoters-turned-activists promise an evening of thought-provoking information about the growth of terrorist extremism in America.

One of the organizers, Lance Laytner, told me that the actor who plays A.J. on “The Sopranos,” Robert Iler, has confirmed. In addition, a member of the Wu Tang Clan, Remedy, is expected to perform two songs, including “Never Again,” which is about the Holocaust. DJ Martial and others are also expected to join in the entertainment, which, at $25, is a bargain. All the proceeds will go to Fuel for Truth.

Although I’ll probably cover the event for the Sun’s blog, “It Shines for All,” I’ll likely be the oldest person there. FFT is an organization whose mission is to gather and disseminate accurate information about Israel and the Middle East to young adults age 18 to 34.

Its mission statement explains the problem: “We believe that an anti-Israel bias in the media has led a significant number of people to become misinformed about the situation in the Middle East. Along with this, many Americans are unaware of the basic facts concerning the region. Such facts include: Like the United States, Israel is a true democracy, and in the summer of 2000, Israel offered the Palestinian Arabs 97% of the land they are fighting for, making Israel the first and only country ever to offer the Palestinian Arabs a homeland. Even with information more accessible today than at any other time in our history, there is a lack of motivation to learn — especially among college students and young adults.”

Fuel for Truth funds events on college campuses throughout the nation to spread the truth about the reality of terrorism and what’s behind it. Those who founded Fuel for Truth are not religious Jews or political activists, but top New York club promoters, business executives, and entertainers whose lives were changed when they lost friends on September 11. They are now using their talents to promote the truth about Israel and expose the lies fueling terrorism.

One of the most vicious lies, which cropped up right after September 11 and was exacerbated by a poem by the then poet laureate of New Jersey, Amiri Baraka, was the calumny that 4,000 Israelis stayed home from work that day.

If Mr. Bloomberg thinks global terrorism is just another worry like a heart attack, he needs to show up at Arena next Thursday for a lesson in reality. Get a life — indeed!