The October 27 Archive currently contains 1333 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
Summary: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editor David Shribman shares his personal account of learning about the attack and describes the scene in Squirrel Hill.
Card with large pink rose on the cover with note from Amanda, Jon, Anne Elisabeth, Daniel, and Jay [last name redacted] inside."
Postcard with a monumental building with a dome, perhaps a mosque, from Azerbaijan on the cover. Tearing due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial. The message on the back contains words of prayer and the senders' commitment to welcoming all in Squirrel Hill.
Hardwritten card in blue pen on white paper, offering condolences following the October 27 attack.
Torn page from a children's coloring book with illustrations of a seal and fish on the front and a lion on the back.
Folded card on orange paper. Red and green staining. Due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial, the message on this card is no longer visible.
Card with a peace sign, Star of David, and heart illustrated in marker on the front cover. The inside contains a heartfelt message from a Jewish student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl. The student articulates their motivations as follows: "I feel connected to your community in a way I cannot describe. I can only tell you to stand together, and we will stand with you as well..." Some words have faded due to water exposure at the Wilkins memorial.
Letter from a member of the Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The letter reads: "Friends, The loss you feel must be beyond my comprehension. I am so very sorry for your tragedy. My prayer is that God will somehow us this to make his face known. I also pray that you will experience emotional and physical healing. These events have reminded me of the frail nature of our earthly bodies. I am confident that God has prepared a plan for us all where we will be freed from our own flesh and all pain will be gone. Love, Blake."
Card addressed to David Rosenthal. Cover features a reproduction of a painting by Frank Crosby, a resident of the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh. The inside contains messages of love and support written by other members of the Emmaus Community.
Envelope containing handwritten notes from the first grade religious school class at Congregation Beth Torah in Richardson, Tx. Handwritten text on envelope reads, "Hand delivered with our deepest love and sympathy. From the first grad religious school class. Congregation Beth Torah, Richardson, Texas. May their memories be for a blessing."
Handwritten card from a student at Goddard Middle School in Littleton, Co. The cover contains the following quote: "The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power." An illustration of three stick figures raising their hands, standing on a large rock with a Star of David at the center, before a mountainous landscape with a large sun and clouds, appears on the bottom center. The inside reads: "Dear Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, I'm very sorry about what has happen[ed]. I do know that people are also very sorry.
Letter from a member of the Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The letter reads: "I pray for you with all my heart. May God's healing love rain down on you. Love, Mary."
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: The church's contact information is included on the back of the envelope.
Note from a member of The Church at Severn Run in Severn, Maryland. The note reads: "Dear Blessed Children of God, I am praying for you in these extremely difficult days. Know that you are being held in prayer. You are loved. Praying for Peace, Comfort, and a Hedge of Protection around you and your community. With love, A follower of Christ."
Handwritten card from a student at Goddard Middle School in Littleton, Co. The front and back cover reads: "One of the happiest moments ever is when you find the courage to let go of what you can change." The inside reads: "Dear Tree of Life Congregation, I am so very, very sorry for your loss (losses). I know what it's like to lose someone. I am Camden. I am a student at Goddard Middle School. I am 13. I think that what happened with the shooting was not ok. Just because people have beliefs that are different it doesn't give people the right to do something that.
Pages of typed text.
Card from the Friendship Circle of Illinois. The front cover reads: "To: The Jewish Community of Pittsburgh. From: Yisroel [last name redacted], Chicago IL." The inside reads: "I feel so sad for you. My hachlata (resolution) is to give 3 cents instead of 1 or 2 cents. You should have everything you need. And Hashem (God) should give you all that you need." Spelling errors have been corrected for clarity.
Letter from a member of the Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The letter reads: "G-d be with you. Know that the great-grandson of Or' [?]- gollath will always fail through those who the follow one true G-d." David.
Handwritten sympathy note written in blue ink on paper from Nelson [last name redacted], a resident of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Nelson extends his sympathy to Pittsburgh and its Jewish community in particular.
Hardwritten card in blue pen on white paper, offering condolences following the October 27 attack.
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.