It was the spring of 2018. A group of leaders, educational institutions, and non-profits in Pittsburgh began working together to bring to Pittsburgh some of the 70 restored string instruments played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. They wanted people of all ages in the Pittsburgh community to hear the stories of the past to shine a light on the future. Their intention was that by connecting to these Violins of Hope: the stories of bigotry, racism, and intolerance and the stories of perseverance through those hard times would help people appreciate how the human spirit can overcome even the most daunting of circumstances. This landmark community project, centered on the valuable lessons of diversity, equity, and inclusion was titled, for this city of many bridges: Tuning Out Prejudice: Building Bridges That Last.
Then, in the fall of that year on Saturday October 27th a gunman stormed the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, home to three congregations of Jewish worshipers, killing eleven people and injuring six. It was the worst attack on Jews in the history of the US.
In the intervening years our Pittsburgh community has done much to be become “Stronger Than Hate,” the slogan that emerged early in the community’s healing process. Immediately, the larger community rallied around the traumatized Jewish community holding candlelight vigils in the streets of the “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” where the horrific event took place. During the first month, volunteer mental health professionals assisted persons impacted directly by the event by offering Critical Incident Stress Debriefings at the Jewish Community Center.
The following Friday, as Jewish people in the Pittsburgh area entered their temples and synagogues for the Shabbat services, they were greeted by scores of non-Jewish neighbors holding lighted candles, offering solidarity by standing in silent support.
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Later local leaders met with staff from resiliency centers around the country to gather lessons learned and best practices for community support while federal and city government organizations and community groups met weekly for nearly a year. This led to the creation of the 10.27 Healing Partnership which continues to provide resources and opportunities for commemoration and commemorative volunteering. A 2023 Commemoration Ceremony will take place at 3 pm Oct 27th in Prospect Drive in Schenley Park. All are welcome.
On Oct. 29th a series of volunteering opportunities in memory of those who were killed on 10/27 will take place across Pittsburgh organized by Repair the World Pittsburgh. “We remember the ideals, character, and values of the 11 people killed on 10/27 through service.” https://1027healingpartnership.org
Now in this season of the 5th anniversary of that attack, the exhibit of the Violins of Hope of Greater Pittsburgh is finally open, offered free to the public from Oct. 7 – November 21st at Posner Center, on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University. Many of these violins are inlaid with a Jewish Star indicating they are symbols of Klezmer and other Jewish traditions that were all but destroyed during the Holocaust. On the website of Amnon Weinstein, the owner and violin maker who restored many of the violins, states, “All instruments have a common denominator: they are symbols of hope and a way to say: remember me, remember us. Life is good, celebrate it for those who perished, for those who survived. For all people. https://violinsofhopepittsburgh.com/
Free Online Event on the 5th Anniversary – Oct. 27, 2023, 3 – 3:45 pm eastern time
Join 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim as he interviews Mark Oppenheimer, author of Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood, the definitive book about the attack. They will discuss the murders and the aftermath, including the trial, the sentencing, and the fate of the building. Reserve your tickets now. https://www.aju.edu/events/five-years-later-reflecting-tree-life-synagogue-tragedy
