A memorial outside the Tree of Life*Or L'Simcha Synagogue following the mass shooting that left 11 worshippers dead at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, Penn., on Oct. 27, 2018. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The seventh anniversary of the mass shooting at the Tree of Life*Or L'Simcha in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018, drew widespread reflections from political and Jewish leaders.
"Lori and I are thinking of the Pittsburgh community, as we remember the 11 Jewish Pennsylvanians who were murdered while they prayed at Tree of Life in the deadliest act of anti-Semitism in our nation's history seven years ago today," stated Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish.
"To those who've come together in the years since this tragic day -- thank you for showing us that we are indeed stronger than hate," Shapiro stated. "To the families who continue to bear the burden of empty seats at your tables, we offer you prayers of comfort and support."
Bias Up
"It's a terrible tragedy," said Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Penn.), alongside Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.), in a joint video. "We both are from Pittsburgh. I live right around the corner from the Tree of Life in Squirrel Hill. Those 11 souls that were murdered that day, a terrible tragedy."
The anniversary of the attack ought to be a "national call to action for leaders at every level and for all Americans to stand together and act decisively before more lives are lost to this enduring hate," according to Holly Huffnagle, director of anti-Semitism policy at the American Jewish Committee.
Since the attack, Jew-hatred has both persisted and intensified, threatening "not just Jewish communities but the very core of our democratic values," she said.
Daniel Mariaschin, CEO of B'nai B'rith International, told JNS that the attack was "a tragic, horrific harbinger of the cascade of anti-Semitism we are experiencing today."
"Floodgates were opened for further violence, intimidation, bullying, social media mis- and disinformation, and worse, in a way not seen in this country in most of our lifetimes," he said. "Now raised to a feverish level, we have the responsibility not only to call out those who are the perpetrators of anti-Semitism, but to demand that those who have the ability to assist us in pushing back -- the media, public officials, university administrators and the major media platforms -- do so without equivocation."
'Wake-Up Call'
Vladislav Khaykin, executive vice president of social impact and North American partnerships at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told JNS that the attack "wasn't only the deadliest act of anti-Semitic violence in American history," but also "a wake-up call the world still hasn't answered."
"It reminded us how centuries-old hatreds adapt to new platforms, new politics and new excuses," he said. "Seven years later, we're not just confronting anti-Semitism in the dark corners of the internet. It's been repackaged as moral virtue in classrooms, on campuses and in cultural institutions that should know better."
As the child of Holocaust survivors, Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organization of America, still grieves and prays with and for the victims and their families, "along with all the victims of anti-Semitic hatred."
Irrational Contradictions
"As I testified in Congress, the Tree of Life massacre was a stark reminder that we cannot lose sight of other hatreds. We cannot write off neo-Nazism as a marginal phenomenon," Klein told JNS. "We need to pay attention to and combat the sickening neo-Nazi and white supremacist internet sites and ideology that foment hatred and violence."
The attack seven years ago "also displayed the irrational contradictions that Jew-haters display," Klein said. The shooter said he hated U.S. President Donald Trump for not being an anti-Semite but also "hated anti-Trump Jews," Klein said.
Jews in the city are commemorating the seven-year anniversary by gathering with survivors and families of victims to light candles in honor of the 11 who were killed, according to Maggie Feinstein, executive director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, which is part of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh.
Jewish Pittsburgh residents are also honoring the victims through Torah study and community service, she told JNS.
"Back in 2018, when we had to face 11 of our community members being murdered while worshipping, every single person who's part of this community had a strong urge of, 'never again,'" Feinstein said.
Changes In Security
Since the shooting, Jewish institutions in Squirrel Hill, and nationwide, have made "significant changes" in their security, Feinstein told JNS.
"There's been security changes literally everywhere," she said. "There's now federal money that goes through each of the states that could be applied for. All of that has increased since 2018, partially in response to this shooting."
Seven years ago, some rabbis and community leaders had specific training to help save lives, according to Feinstein.
"They were able to warn each other. They were able to know what the escape route was. They were able to know how to shelter in place and how to call for help," she said. "Those were things that they didn't just know intrinsically. They practiced."
"Part of the legacy is to continue to use those to save lives," she said. "Our best method for saving lives is having people train and looking at what security protocols we have in place and, most importantly, continuing to live and find Jewish joy."
Jewish Federations of North America and its partners have made "historic strides in security and preparedness, training thousands, strengthening institutions and securing critical federal funding to keep our communities safe," Shira Hutt, executive vice president of the Federation, told JNS.
Constant Vigilance
"In 2018, only a handful of local Federations had community security initiatives," Hutt said. "Today, that number has soared to more than 130 local Federations that have community security initiatives, and while we have come far, we have far to go as the threat of anti-Semitism remains real and rising."
Rabbi Aaron Bisno, of Temple Ohav Shalom, a Reform congregation in the Pittsburgh area, told JNS that "thoughts of security are always with us" since the shooting.
"We are constantly evaluating our programs and budgets with this need in mind," he said. "It's an ongoing, unfortunate reality that colors everything we do, and as much as we remain mindful of the threats from the outside, we are also aware that our efforts are in service of reassuring our own members that we take this seriously and they're safe when they come to temple events."
It's a "sad irony" that the synagogue's congregants are "actually safer when with us than in most other public spaces in the U.S. today," according to Bisno. "It's a sad reality but a necessary truth," he said.
Rabbi Alex Greenbaum, of Beth El Congregation of the South Hills, a Conservative congregation in Pittsburgh, told JNS that if the shooting "taught us anything, it was to never ever let our guard down."
"Just because it's 'quiet' out there, that doesn't mean we're actually safe," he said. "'Never again' means constant vigilance."
Jewish Values
Feinstein, of the JCC initiative, told JNS that security is important, but it's not the only value.
"All of the security measures that have been taken in our community with the leadership of our security director, they will always say, 'Don't stop living,'" she told JNS. "Continue to gather. Continue to feel joy. Continue to worship, and we will do what we can to make it as safe as possible. But do not let fear of safety be a reason to stay home."