TENAFLY, N.J.—The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that took place on Oct. 27, 2018—the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the United States—is still resonating in people’s minds and it will not soon be forgotten.
The rampage that occurred at the Tree of Life—Or L’Simcha Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, while Shabbat morning services were being held, killed 11 people and injured seven (including the suspect).
People of all faiths are still shocked at how a gunman opened fire at Jews simply because they were Jews. Now, one year later, communities and religious institutions around the country are holding “Show up for Shabbat” solidarity services in remembrance of the horrific event.
On Friday night, Oct. 25, Temple Sinai of Bergen County in Tenafly held an interfaith dinner and program titled “Remembering Pittsburgh, Standing up to Hate.”
The event, hosted by Rabbi Jordan Millstein, brought together over 200 congregants, numerous guests and featured speakers state Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Father Mark Schaffner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Tenafly, and Imam Saeed Qureshi of Darul Islah Mosque in Teaneck.
After dinner, 10 clerical and political leaders met with Rabbi Millstein in his study for a welcome and orientation at 7:15 p.m. The elite group was comprised of the three featured speakers and Mayor Peter Rustin, Sultan Ahmed and Dr. Shameen Ahmed from the Tenafly Interfaith Association, Rev. Lynne Bleich Weber from the Church of the Atonement in Tenafly, Rev. Beate Storck from Trinity Lutheran Church in Tenafly, and Cantor Nitza Shamah from Temple Sinai of Bergen County.
Assemblywoman Huttle said with great passion, “I believe that this gathering and remembering is a wakeup call to take action against anti-hate crimes and bias crimes.”
Father Schaffner, who is originally from Pittsburgh, recalled the days that he spent there following the shooting.
“I have always been very connected to the Jewish community and there is no place for anti-Semitism and intolerance. We need to go beyond that.”
Rev. Weber, the Convener of the Tenafly interfaith Association, remarked, “It is a privilege and always very powerful for us to come together and show solidarity for each other in times of difficulty. We were here a year ago commemorating the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue with our Jewish brothers and sisters and all people of faith who feel they are the victims of anti-Semitism and violence. We are here to say that ‘No violence in the name of religion is every acceptable!’ We will resist it together and we care about each other.”
Imam Saeed Qureshi said, “I am here tonight on behalf of the Muslim community to honor the victims of violence and to stand together for unity and peace.”
The group then entered the synagogue where the audience was seated. On the stage, 11 Yahrzeit candles were assembled. During the service, each one was lit to commemorate one of the Tree of Life Synagogue victims.
At 7:30, Rabbi Millstein began the program by recalling how the congregation met last year after the massacre.
“We are gathering here to mark the anniversary of the terrible attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 27 last year. After the attack, the American Jewish Committee declared ‘Show up for Shabbat.’ To commemorate this event, people from all different faiths came to synagogues on Friday night Nov. 2, to stand with the Jewish community.
“God’s love was here in the hugs we gave one another at Temple Sinai that night and in the love and support that poured from the hearts of those from other faith communities who came to our synagogue that night to hold hands, comfort us, to tell us that unlike other times in our history as Jews, we are not alone.”
“This is the second such ‘Show up for Shabbat.’ I am so moved that so many people from other faiths have come here to join us and are making a statement together that we will not tolerate hate against anyone and that anti-Semitism is unacceptable, but also by building bridges, we can overcome the challenges that we face. We can do this!”
Rabbi Millstein thanked everyone for coming again and reinforcing the message that “despite thousands of years of anger, hostility and violence, thousands of years of religious racial hatred and fear, despite the recent dramatic rise in anti-Semitism here and around the world, we refuse to despair.”
Each of the three featured speakers in turn addressed the group and the Yahrzeit candles were lit.
There followed a series of prayers and melodies, ending on a solemn note with Kaddish, the mourners’ prayer,
The assembly at Temple Sinai was a beautiful tribute that sent a united message, “We will never forget.”
