Thursday, November 1, 2018

Pittsburghers treat each other as one community. We should all learn from them.

From The Washington Post-

The horrific shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh happened on the eve of the anniversary of my own bar mitzvah there, some 51 years ago. Pittsburgh’s Jewish community was then, and remains today, a giant family. Even those of us who moved away have stayed closely connected to it and to each other. Our hearts ache as one.

The synagogue is at the heart of the close-knit Jewish community in Squirrel Hill, a bustling neighborhood filled with tree-lined streets and ethnic restaurants. Pittsburgh is a city where neighborhoods like this are still common, where people get to know one another, where they welcome new neighbors and mourn the passing of old ones. It is a city of grit and compassion, one that can offer a model of how to counter the hatred that is tearing America apart.

The suspect in the 11 synagogue murders was reportedly motivated by anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant hatred. A particular target of his venom, according to news reports about his apparent online posts, was the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, or HIAS, an organization that assists refugees of all faiths. I am proud to serve on its board.

More here-


No comments: