Residents of Pittsburgh will come together on Oct. 27 for the eighth‑year remembrance of the tragic 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill. The event, organized by the Jewish Community Center (JCC), will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Levinson Hall and includes a candle‑lighting ceremony, personal stories and a moment of prayer.
Healing partnership leads the ceremony
Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, explained why the annual gathering matters. “We are all stronger together,” she said, noting that community members often share memories of the victims – from a local doctor to a neighborhood baseball coach. Those recollections, she added, help keep the lives of Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Sylvan and Bernice Simon, Dan Stein, Irving Younger and Melvin Wax alive in the hearts of the city.
Feinstein emphasized that grief has no set timetable. “Healing and grief don’t have any timeline,” she said. “It’s not that time heals; it’s that we are healing humans in our lives, and when we feel the grief, that’s healthy and normal.” She urged attendees to lean into their emotions and reach out for support when needed.
A living memorial in Schenley Park
Beyond the ceremony, the victims are honored through a memorial grove in Schenley Park, a gift donated shortly after the attack. The grove features trees and a bench dedicated to the 11 lives lost, offering a quiet place for reflection throughout the year.
Open invitation to the broader community
The JCC has invited anyone who wishes to pay respects, emphasizing that the ceremony is a space for families, friends and even strangers to come together. “We can and should figure out how to heal together,” Feinstein said. “People remember to see each other with care, with compassion, as we did in 2018.”
Attendees will hear each victim’s name read aloud as a candle is lit in their honor, a tradition that has become a cornerstone of the annual event. The ceremony also includes a short Torah study session aligned with the Hebrew calendar, providing spiritual comfort for those who seek it.
Community response
Local leaders and faith‑based groups have expressed support for the gathering, noting its role in fostering unity across Pittsburgh’s diverse neighborhoods. The event underscores the city’s commitment to remembering the past while building a more compassionate future.
For more information about the ceremony or to volunteer, residents can contact the Jewish Community Center directly.
Original reporting: WTAE (Hearst) – local — read the source article.
