Trib Total Media earned a prestigious national award from the national Society of Professional Journalists for a video documentary marking one year since the Tree of Life attack in Squirrel Hill.

SPJ announced Friday that “Tree of Life: One Year Later” won the digital video category in the 2019 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for excellence in journalism.

“Our staff worked tirelessly to build a long-lasting tribute to the lives taken and the families forever changed by the attack on the Tree of Life synagogue,” Trib Total Media President and CEO Jennifer Bertetto said. “It is a day that should not be forgotten.”

The documentary shares the stories of Tree of Life survivors, while honoring the tragedy’s victims. The piece remembers the events of Oct. 27, 2018, when an anti-Semitic shooter killed 11 worshippers from Tree of Life-Or L’Simcha, New Light and Dor Hadash congregations, and injured several others, including police officers.

“We are so incredibly proud of our staff and grateful for this national recognition, but for those of us involved in the horrific events of Oct. 27, 2018, our thoughts will always remain on those lost and the families touched by that awful day in Pittsburgh’s history,” said Susan McFarland, executive editor of Trib Total Media.

The Society of Professional Journalists has been recognizing contributions to journalism since 1932. This year’s Sigma Delta Chi awards honor outstanding work in categories covering print, radio, television and online.

Among the other honorees were The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)