The October 27 Archive currently contains 1579 objects and is regularly being expanded with more material. The archive includes flyers and programs from community gatherings held since the October 27 attack, a comprehensive collection of news coverage about the day of the event, oral history recordings reflecting a diverse array of experiences, and historical documentation about the Jewish experience in Western Pennsylvania.
You can view all the materials currently included in the archive using the browser below. Each object has been described and cataloged to help you discover materials, learn about these materials, understand the context in which these materials were created, and draw connections between different materials. You can refine the browsing experience using various filters, including creator, type, and subject. Some of these filters have already been used to create preset galleries, each organized around specific aspects of the archive. You can also look for specific words and phrase found in the archive using a keyword search.
Western Pennsylvanians share their life stories and reflect on the impact of an antisemitic attack in a beloved Jewish neighborhood.
Documentation of the October 27 attack as it was unfolding, told through news articles and oral histories.
Primary Type – Cards
Secondary Type - Cards
Language – Cards
Creator – Cards
Group – Cards
Location – Cards
Event – Cards
Large envelope with a message written in pencil. Two flower outlines, drawn in purple, surround the text. Blank back.
Card made by a student from the George Washington University Hillel. The front cover reads: "Hugs" with asterisks on either side. The inside (from right to left) reads: "Sending you messages of hope, love, and comfort from Washington D.C. Love, Alex. May God be with you and your families."
Folded card on pink paper. Blue and yellow staining throughout, particularly around the central crease. Due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial, the message on this card is no longer visible.
Letter from a member of the Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The letter reads: "I am so sorry for the loss in your community. I hope you know there are many in our church and community who support you in your loss with our prayers."
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 messages of condolence and prayer. The church's contact information is included on the back of the envelope.
Square card with white and yellow text against blue background. Card reads, "Mitzvah4Pittsburgh. Some spread darkness. We spread light. Choose a good deed. Choose a Mitzvah. Add light to the world," followed by four options and a place for respondents to list their name and email address. Some names and email addresses have been redacted for privacy.
Wreath made of branches with leaves, wire, and small stones. Stones attached with black zip ties.
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 reads: "You are God's chosen people. He loves you so much and so do we. We pray that love wins in your synagogue every day. God bless, The Church at Severn Run." The church's contact information is included on the back of the envelope.
Card with photograph of ribbons laid out in a rainbow pattern. The inside reads: "God bless. Sandy and Cheri."
Collage with a hand drawn tree in the center; leaves made of multicolored tissue paper; trunk in black ink.
Wreath woven from branches, synthetic greenery, and pink and white synthetic flowers.
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."
Note from a member of The Church at Severn Run in Severn, Maryland. The note reads: "We love you. I pray for all of us every day."
Sepia-tone photograph showing large group of people in a banquet hall decorated with streamers, Stars of David, and American flags. Text at bottom reads "The 25th Anniversary banquet of the Congregation 'Oher Chodosh Anshe Romanian' February 26, 1928 Pittsburgh Pa." Original photograph is creased in several places and missing one corner.
Post-it note with handwritten message in blue marker. The note, written in Hebrew, reads: "Ahava" (love). Signed with a heart.
Title page from Haggadah used during Passover service. Includes six stamps listing "A. Goldstein, 199 4th Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa."
Floral tag from floral arrangement sent by the Alexander family. The tag reads: "Wishing you all peace" followed by two hearts. Message handwritten in blue ink on a printed tag with a red border and a floral bouquet on the lower left.
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.