
Primary Type – Cards
Secondary Type - Cards
Language – Cards
Creator – Cards
Date – Cards
Group – Cards
Location – Cards
Event – Cards
Card from a congregant at the Holy Angels Parish. The front cover contains a stock illustration of a haloed dove flying in front of Noah's ark. The inside reads: "Dear Tree of Life Synagogue, We are sorry to hear about this tragedy, and we hope peace is to come. We have been thinking and praying for everyone. Sincerely, Holy Angels. -Rylee. 6th grade." Spelling errors corrected for clarity.
Poster with handwritten message in pencil reading: "Expressions of Sym[p]athy for Tree of Life. Do not be afraid, I am with you. Isaiah 43:5." A printed image of a tree with many roots appears on the lower left corner.
White posterboard with dozens of hands in red and pink paint. Initialed in multiple colors by creators. The words "Hope and Love," peace signs, and Stars of David are scattered throughout.
Card from a congregant at the Holy Angels Parish. The front cover contains a stock illustration of seven children holding hands around a table with a large goblet and loaf of braided bread, and seven doves. The illustration is labeled: "We are people of God's peace." The inside reads: "We must stick together in times like these because together we are STRONG and no one can take that away from us. Enzo."
Card from a student at West Allegheny Middle School in Imperial, Pa. The front features a hand-colored illustration of the words: "I am here in this moment" surrounded by arrows and other geometric symbols. The back contains a handwritten note, as well as the stock signature: "From your friends at West Allegheny Middle School."
Post-it note with handwritten message in blue marker. The message reads: "May you flourish in the future."
Typed floral tag from Chestnut Hills Dental stapled to floral wrapping paper. Tape across the message. Extensive tearing and staining due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial.
Printed tag dedicated to Irving Younger. The tag reads: "Please accept this Random Act of Kindness In honor of Irving Younger. Taken too soon, October 27th, 2018. 1 of our 11 Angels from the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooting" followed by a series of hashtags and contact information on Facebook. Tape on the reverse.
Floral tag from floral arrangement sent by John [last name redacted]. The tag reads: "For the innocents who[se] lives were taken- Eternal Love." It is signed John [last name and address redacted] of Phillipsburg, North Carolina. The contact information for James Flower and Gift Shoppe is included below. The message is written in black ink on a printed tag with an ombre background resembling a sunset.
Summary: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review report on claim by the Anti-Defamation League that the October 27 attack was 'likely the deadliest' antisemitic incident in American history. Includes a statement from ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.
Card from a student at West Allegheny Middle School in Imperial, Pa. The front features a hand-colored illustration of a leaf with geometric motifs. The back contains a handwritten note, as well as the stock signature: "From your friends at West Allegheny Middle School."
Typed bilingual Hebrew and English letter from a student at Hebrew Academy, a private Jewish day school in Montreal, Quebec. In English, the letter reads: "Dear Rabbi, I am very sorry for what happened in your shul. I hope everyone that got injured will heal quickly. I hope that it will never happen again. Sincerely, Max [last name redacted] From Hebrew Academy."
Handwritten letter written in black ink on glossy, lined notebook paper. The author, who identifies themself as a Hindu, articulates their belief in the Hindu concept of the soul's eternal nature. They conclude their letter with a Hindu prayer transliterated and translated into English. Fading and spotting due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial.
Note from a member of The Church at Severn Run in Severn, Maryland. The note is enclosed in an envelope with church letterhead, reading: "The Church at Severn Run: Love Well, Live Jesus, Believe Big!" The note inside contains messages of condolence, love, and wishes for strength. The church's contact information is included on the back of the envelope.
Folded card on white paper. Blue, purple, and yellow stains in the center and upper right and left. Mild dirt staining throughout. Due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial, the message on this card is no longer visible.
Hardwritten card in blue pen on white paper, offering condolences following the October 27 attack.
Print with various birds resting on the branches of a flowering tree folded in half to create an improvised card. The inside contains a handwritten sympathy note written in blue ink from a member of the autism community in Monroeville, Pa.
Letter from a member of the Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The letter is dated 11/4/18 and reads: "Tree of Life Community- All of your brothers and sisters at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church mourn with you. We are absolutely devastated at the events of last week's service, and there are no words one can say to make sense of it. The God of Abraham, Isaac, David, and Jacob is with you, and we pray for comfort, community, city, our country and our world.
Terms of Use
The October 27 Archive collects responses to an antisemitic attack in Pittsburgh, Pa. on October 27, 2018. These responses take many forms but share a motivating impulse. Each began in the mind and heart of someone who was moved by the events of that day and was compelled to create something meaningful from that feeling. By sharing these responses, those people chose to be vulnerable for the sake of a greater good. The October 27 Archive website was launched with the belief that sharing these responses with the world can provide an avenue for people all over the world to reflect, learn, and heal.
By entering this website, you agree to honor the spirit in which these responses were created and in which they are being shared with the world.
The materials on this website are being made available exclusively for research purposes. For permission to use any of the materials on this website for any other purpose, please contact the archive. If you are the creator of any of the material on this website, and you would like to provide context or request to have something removed, please contact the archive. If you intend to reference any material found on this website, please attribute all citations to the Rauh Jewish Archives, so that other researchers can easily locate these materials in the future.