Pause with Pittsburgh
Together We Remember
In October of 2018, on a quiet Shabbat morning, Pittsburgh’s Jewish community suffered the most brutal anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history. When a gunman opened fire in the Tree of Life building, he took the lives of 11 innocent people across three congregations: Dor Hadash, New Light, and Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha.
One year later, we took a moment to honor their memory together, in a global effort to unite every single member of the Jewish community in solidarity.
In the spirit of Israel’s Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) commemorations, Federation joined with hundreds of other communities to inspire our global Jewish community to pause and share a moment of reflection and remembrance.
A text message was sent out at 5:00 pm EST on Sunday, October 27, 2019 – the same moment the community in Pittsburgh joined in a public memorial service–to share in a collective moment of remembrance.
In the aftermath of the horrific attack that took 11 lives, our guiding beacon of hope is that we are stronger together.
Together, we will pause and remember. Together, we will lift each other up.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO
SHOW SOLIDARITY
#ShowUpForShabbat
The Shabbat attack last October at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh was the deadliest act of anti-Semitism in North American history. The following Shabbat, people of all faiths came together across the nation to attend synagogues, in what became the largest-ever expression of solidarity with the American Jewish community. We gathered across denominations and faiths to pray, to mourn, and to strengthen one another. This year, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tragic attack, The Jewish Federation is proud to partner with the Jewish Community Relations Council and with AJC in calling on our community to #ShowUpForShabbat. Let us come together to honor the victims and raise our collective voice for a world free of antisemitism, hate, and bigotry.
See the list of Host Congregations (In Formation)
To be listed as a host congregation, please contact alexis.bockrobbins@shalomdc.org.
JCRC 11 Actions
Shabbat, the Sabbath, should be a time of peace and rejuvenation. It should be a time for communities to worship, peacefully and without fear. On October 27, 2018, that tranquility was shattered when a hate-filled gunman entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and murdered 11 people during Shabbat services. Since that dark day, throughout the year, subsequent acts of hate have violated the sanctity not only of synagogues, but also other houses of worship worldwide.
From Christchurch to Poway to Halle, Germany, we have witnessed the very worst of human behavior, but we have also seen the power and resiliency of human decency and kindness. In the face of efforts to divide and weaken us, we remain united and stand in solidarity against antisemitism and all hatred.
As we approach October 27, 2019, one year after the shooting at Tree of Life synagogue, we remember the 11 people who were murdered that day. The JCRC encourages our community to come together in spirit to remember the precious lives that were lost. By taking all or some of these 11 actions, you will be honoring their memory and helping to build a world free of hate and reflecting justice, peace, and compassion.