Dear John,

Two years ago on this day, a heavily armed white supremacist entered the Tree of Life synagogue building in Pittsburgh and began the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. It took the killer less than 11 minutes to take 11 lives.

You probably recall where you were when you heard the news. I was at Shabbat services with my family. I had just walked out of services when the ADL staff urgently reached me, sharing the initial reports about the unfolding tragedy in Pittsburgh and how our team was already swinging into action to provide critical support to the devastated community and to support law enforcement with vital information about the extremist threat and about the profile of the alleged perpetrator.

Last year, on the first anniversary, I was in Pittsburgh, standing shoulder to shoulder with members of the grieving community, and honoring the first responders who had been on the front lines during the attack.

We continue to unite with our friends, our family, our community in Pittsburgh to share strength. As Pittsburgh’s mayor William Peduto says, this is a community that will not allow itself to be divided by hate.

But simply to mourn and simply to remember each year — which we must — is not enough.

We have seen so many extremist attacks against those worshipping in a synagogue, a mosque or a church, or even just showing their faith publicly.

Some of the threats to Jewish institutions have been intercepted and thwarted thanks to the ADL Center on Extremism team, which helps law enforcement by vigilantly monitoring the dark corners of the Internet to help spot extremists before violence happens. We have worked to help Jewish institutions and other houses of worship address security concerns, both physically and via the online connections that are currently such a vital part of our communities during the pandemic. We are also vocal advocates for a robust effort by our government to confront violent domestic-based extremism as a law-enforcement priority.

I invite you to stand with me, with ADL, with your family and friends and most importantly, with the grieving Pittsburgh community to remember the eleven lives lost, and to show our support for those still suffering and to protect those in need of protection.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Greenblatt

CEO and National Director

ADL