Commemorative events marking Tree of Life attack two years ago begin this weekend

Two years ago, when 11 people were shot to death inside the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, an entire city and region grieved. It was the most deadly and extreme anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history.

The 10.27 Healing Partnership is encouraging the entire Pittsburgh community to take part in commemorations this weekend and next week.

“Last year we did a lot of talking within our (Jewish) community about what is the authentic way to commemorate the date of the event,” said Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership. “Torah study and community service really hearken to the Jewish values around commemorating a loved one’s death or anyone’s death. So, as a community, how can we make sure that those are open and inviting for everybody, not just the Jewish community?”

The answer to that question can be found in the schedule of events the Healing Partnership and other organizations have set up for this weekend and next Tuesday.

It begins Sunday with a communitywide day of service that includes both virtual and in-person service opportunities.

Among the activities, from 10 a.m to noon Sunday, volunteers will have an opportunity to participate in the Anshe Lubovitz and Beth Abraham morning cemetery cleanups. It will involve sweeping sets of steps, collecting fallen tree branches, and performing all-around cleanup to help beautify Anshe Lubovitz Cemetery in Shaler and Beth Abraham in Carrick for the winter.

Also on Sunday, from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers will be harvesting, weeding and watering the Sheridan Avenue Orchard in East Liberty to ready it for seasonal changes.

On Sunday morning, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Squirrel Hill Jewish Community Center’s Levinson Room, volunteers will work together to create dental hygiene kits for the Foster Love Project. Social distancing, mask wearing and all CDC protocols will be observed.

“We had to figure out what was safe to do,” Feinstein said. “We know that everything is preferable in person, especially something that’s emotionally sensitive. But safety was also a priority.”

When it comes to Tuesday’s commemoration ceremony, Feinstein said the plan is to do a virtual program.

“Last year when we remembered the victims and said the names of the victims and heard from their families, the ceremony happened at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum,” Feinstein said. “This year the group decided we just didn’t feel safe, even if it was outdoors, so we’re doing it virtually.”

The commemoration ceremony will begin streaming on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on YouTube. It will feature singer Elana Arian as well as a performance by famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. A link will be available on 10.27 Healing Partnership’s website, 1027healingpartnership.org.

Also that day, open drop-in counseling is available in person or via Zoom.

Adam Hertzman, marketing director for the Jewish Federation, said the organization will be holding virtual Torah study.

“It gives people a chance to be together, even if it’s virtual, during a time that’s going to be hard for a lot of people,” Hertzman said. “We’ve learned from other communities that have had mass casualty events that people can experience post-traumatic stress disorder much later. At a time when people have the extra trauma of being isolated, it’s very important to us to give people an outlet to be together.”

Greensburg commemoration

Congregation Emanu-El Israel in Greensburg is waiting until Oct. 30 to commemorate the Tree of Life victims, Rabbi Leonard Sarko said. It will be part of the regular Friday Shabbat service at 7:30 p.m. During the pandemic, all services are online, at ceigreensburg.org.

“This is a weird year,” Sarko said. “Between the pandemic and the anti-Semitism that we’re seeing and just the ugliness that’s out there as a whole in relation to prejudice across the board, it’s really heightened people’s sensitivity. So, we’re really dealing with this, if not on a weekly basis, pretty frequently. It’s basically, at least from my standpoint, all part and parcel of the same kind of things that we really need to deal with and cope with.

“Part of it is coming together as a community, both within our congregation itself as a Jewish community and a community overall, whether it’s Westmoreland or Western Pennsylvania or the country.”