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Summer Lee for Congress

John,

Today, solemnly marks five years since the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting — a heinous, antisemitic attack that claimed the lives of eleven members of our community. In this time of tremendous pain and heightened trauma, it’s crucial that we reaffirm our commitment to one another and to the values of compassion, tolerance, and unity that define us at our best.

On the morning of October 27th, 2018, during Shabbat service, three Jewish congregations faced an unimaginable horror that not only shattered the sanctity of their place of worship but also sent shockwaves of sorrow through hearts across the nation and across the world. 

The eleven members from the Dor Hadash, New Light, and Tree of Life congregations who were killed that day were not just statistics, they were beloved members of our community:

Bernice Simon

Sylvan Simon

Cecil Rosenthal

David Rosenthal

Joyce Fienberg

Richard Gottfried

Rose Mallinger

Jerry Rabinowitz

Daniel Stein

Melvin Wax

Irving Younger

They were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, friends, and colleagues. They were members of a vibrant community, who sought solace, peace, and unity within the walls of their synagogue. They inspire me to work even harder to confront the root causes of antisemitism, hatred, racism, and bigotry so that no community has to live in fear of such senseless violence ever again.

When I visited the synagogue this past February, I met with congregation leadership and several family members of those murdered. I was profoundly moved – both by the unimaginable pain of what I saw and the beautiful conversations I had. 

When Reverend Manning spoke at the funeral of Rose Mallinger, the last of the 11 victims to be laid to rest, he said: ‘You are not alone… We mourn with you. We’re here for you and that will never change.’ I commit myself to building bridges between marginalized communities and fighting for a world without hate. I want our Jewish siblings to know that we are in this fight together - every day, for as long as it takes. 

By building bridges between marginalized communities, together we will dismantle the systems of hatred and work to ensure that Pittsburgh is stronger than hate and safe for every member of every community.

 

With caring thoughts,
Summer Lee