Tree of Life Synagogue hosts ceremony on 4-year anniversary
A commemoration ceremony for the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting will be held at p.m. today, Oct. 27, on Prospect Drive in Schenley Park. The space will open to the public starting at 3 p.m.
On Oct. 27, 2018, a gunman opened fire inside the Tree of Life Synagogue. Eleven worshipers were shot and killed as they attended services at each of the three congregations in the building; Tree of Life, New Light, and Dor Hadash. The shooting was the deadliest act of antisemitism in American history.
The synagogue remains closed to the public. The Tree of Life congregation announced it has chosen architect Daniel Libeskind to spearhead the design of the future site of the memorial for those lost in the shooting. Libeskind also was behind the master plan for the World Trade Center site.
On the four-year anniversary, The White House released a statement from President Joe Biden on the attack.
“In the four years since that terrible day, the people of Pittsburgh have shown us what it means to be stronger than hate. Welcoming the community to Torah study sessions. Showing their support for refugees and immigrants. Reimagining the Tree of Life synagogue as both sanctuary and memorial. The courage and character of the Pittsburgh community remain an inspiration to us all,” Biden said in his statement. “As we grieve this deadliest act of antisemitism in American history, we stand with the community of Squirrel Hill—and Jewish communities across America and around the world—in resolving to combat antisemitism and hate in all of its forms.”
“The rabbis teach that ‘what comes from the heart, enters the heart.’ On this difficult day, our hearts are with the families of the victims, the survivors, and all those impacted by the Tree of Life shooting. May their memories be a blessing, and may we continue to bridge the gap between the world we see and the future we seek.“
