Eight years after the deadly Tree of Life synagogue attack claimed 11 lives, volunteers from across Greater Pittsburgh came together to honor the victims through a day of service. The effort, organized by local faith‑based and charitable groups, included blood drives, cemetery clean‑up, and the creation of blankets and hygiene kits for community members.
Cleaning headstones as a tribute
Elisha Serotta, program specialist for 10.27 Healing Partnership at Jewish Life and the Center for Loving Kindness, led a team to the Beth Abraham Cemetery. “We really want to do that in honor of those we lost, of the 11 victims, and also make a space for their families to be able to process the trauma in our community,” Serotta said. Volunteers carefully cleaned headstones, preserving the resting places of those who perished.
Kelly Schwimer, executive director of the Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh, emphasized the importance of maintaining these sacred sites. “It is important to maintain them and treat them with the utmost care, with the rituals that we promised for centuries,” Schwimer noted.
Blood drives and community support
Two blood drives hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh provided another avenue for residents to give back. Jordan Golin, president and CEO of Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh, explained the spirit behind the effort: “Rather than our community feeling broken as a result of that attack, the community members are choosing to come together and help strengthen one another, which I think is the best legacy possible.”
Blankets, hygiene kits and ongoing aid
Volunteers also sewed blankets and assembled hygiene kits, which will be distributed through JFCS’s food pantry and its programs for immigrants, youth, and older adults. Maggie Feinstein, director of 10.27 Healing Partnership, said the work reflects the victims’ own commitment to service. “By elevating a lot of the things that they were passionate about in the community and the ways in which they gave back, we all can continue that legacy going forward,” she said.
Open ceremony invites all
A public ceremony to honor the victims is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Jewish Community Center’s auditorium. The event is open to anyone who wishes to pay respects and reflect on the enduring impact of the tragedy.
These acts of service demonstrate how Pittsburgh’s faith‑based and nonprofit sectors continue to embody the values of compassion, resilience, and community stewardship, turning remembrance into tangible help for those still affected by the 2018 shooting.
Original reporting: WTAE (Hearst) – local — read the source article.
