News of the horrific Shabbat slaughter of 11 Jewish worshippers at Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh spread like wildfire. By Saturday night, the wires were ablaze with calls planning memorial services and tributes at local shuls, schools and organizations. Communities members grieved together and prayed for the recovery of the six injured, which included three police officers wounded while stopping the anti-Semitic murderer.
On Sunday evening, Congregation Beth Aaron and NJ NCSY collaborated on a community-wide gathering. Rabbi Rothwachs called upon the more than 300 gathered to utilize their prayers for the martyred to help improve their own connections to God.
Rabbi Rothwachs noted that it was Rabbi Akiva who encouraged his students to overcome feelings of defeat. “We must focus on Queen Esther who also suffered through attempts to annihilate her people. But in the merit of our forefathers, she triumphed and went on to rule over 127 nations. Esther, the descendent of our mother Sarah, was enabled to overcome the enemy as was the case throughout our history.”
Rabbi Rothwachs urged, “Today as well, in the shadow of the worst anti-Semitic slaughter of Jews in U.S. history, we call upon the merits of our forefathers to help us as they did in the past, now in the present and hopefully in the future, until the days of Moshiach.”
Rabbi Ethan Katz, regional director of NJ NCSY, thanked the many teens in the audience who gathered to add their prayers to those of the adults. His message to the assembled was that as this horrific slaughter was committed in a shul, our answer must come from within a shul where we must strengthen our community davening, praying individually with more kavanah (strength).
Similarly, Lubavitch on the Palisades of Tenafly also held a memorial service that evening. Rabbi Mordechai Shain spoke about Abraham, the first Jew. That week’s Torah portion discussed his circumcision and God’s test, which was for him to bring his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice, which he returned to do. On the Shabbat of the terrible tragedy, Jews also went to a brit, from which they did not return.
Mayor Peter Rustin spoke about the need to be surrounded in times like this by friends and Jewish brethren, thanked the first responders and thanked everyone for gathering in unity. He wished that we may never have more times like these.
Suzanne Cohen, chair of the Tanach department Israel guidance at Ma’ayanot, who addressed the students at Ma’ayanot the following morning, expressed horror at the thought that Jews gathering to celebrate the welcoming of a new Jewish life were gunned down al kiddush Hashem. “Our best response is to daven on behalf of the martyred and injured. And we are fortunate that we can express our feelings on any occasion through the comforting words of Dovid Hamelech through his magnificent Tehillim.”
On Monday morning, schools included their students in paying tribute to the Pittsburgh victims. At The Frisch School, all of the grades were gathered together for davening. After leining, Rabbi Ciner addressed the students about the horrific event, citing the fact that those who were murdered were those who came early to services, including the two disabled brothers who were known to greet the congregants warmly. He emphasized the need to use the fire we were granted and the fire we use to depart from Shabbat at Havdalah for spreading good in the world and being a light to the nations and not for evil, as this brutal perpetrator did.
At TABC, the classes gathered together after davening in the shul for a program of tribute. Four student representatives, one from each grade, recited and translated a fitting Mishnah from Pirkei Avot. A faculty member whose wife is from Squirrel Hill described the community as being warm and embracing to all.
At Teaneck High School, Goldie Minkowitz addressed the entire student body through a broadcast during homeroom. After a moment of silence, she portrayed the victims and described the shooting as a horrific example of anti-Semitism. Superintendent of Teaneck Schools, Dr. Christopher C. Irving, sent a letter of condolence to the families of the victims of Pittsburgh in the name of the Teaneck educational community.
On Monday evening, an outpouring of close to 2,000 assembled at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades to offer an interfaith memorial to the victims of Pittsburgh’s tragedy. The speakers included rabbis, ministers, communal leaders and politicians. Among those addressing the huge crowd were Rabbi Chaim Poupko, president of the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County; Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner, New Jersey Board of Rabbis; Rabbi Shalom Baum, Congregation Keter Torah; and Rabbi Debra Orenstein, Congregation B’nai Israel. Joseph William Cardinal Tobin, archbishop of Newark, urged our communities to unite in combatting any incidences of hatred.
Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and an emotional Bill Pascrell attended and addressed the crowd, as well as Senator Cory Booker, who also spoke.
Senator Booker spoke powerfully, periodically quoting Jewish liturgy, as he focused on the themes of unity and love. “Blame does not heal,” he said to thunderous applause. “We should not be seeking blame in moments like this…”
He continued, “If this country has not broken your heart, then you do not love her enough, because there are awful, awful things that happen, but what has defined the American character has not been the hate that has happened…what defines us is how we respond…We now have a choice. How will we respond? Hate can’t drive out hate, only love can do that.”
In an emotional conclusion, Booker said, “Let’s do what our ancestors did when there was hatred. Say ‘I am here to address it.’ Say ‘Hineini. Behold, here I am.’”
The message that reverberated throughout the two-hour vigil was that the Pittsburgh massacre marked the deadliest attack ever on America’s Jewish community. Messages of inclusion and solidarity, faith and hope were offered as antidotes to this heinous crime.
Images of the victims were projected on large screens as poignant biographies were shared with the audience highlighting their accomplishments, virtues and contributions to the Tree of Life community as well as the the Jewish community of Squirrel Hill and Pittsburgh. Each speaker reiterated the need for resilience, action and leadership, in cooperation with all of the multi-ethnic population of Bergen County.
By Pearl Markovitz
