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
Handwritten letter written in black ink on lined notebook paper from Jennifer of Indiana, Pa.
Post-it note with handwritten message in black ink. The message reads: "We love you and we're with you."
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: "There can't be light without the dark. We are praying for your safety and peace. Holy Angels CCD." Spelling errors corrected for clarity.
Business card from Pastor J. Hogan of Faithbridge Community Church.
Hardwritten card in blue pen on white paper, offering condolences following the October 27 attack.
Notecard with the following message written in black ink: "LOVE ALWAYS."
Card on red paper from three students [last names redacted] at Magen David Yeshivah High School in Brooklyn, Ny. The upper flap inside is illustrated with a large heart, surrounded by smaller hearts, and two Stars of David. A sun appears on the left, labelled with the quote: "after the rain, the sun shall shine through." The card ends: "GET WELL SOON! [Star of David]."
Folded card with handwritten messages on white paper. The front cover reads: "Love," written in colorful bubble letters. The inside reads: "Your brothers and sisters in Aspinwall love you very much."
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 is addressed to God, and conveys the writers pain about the October 27 attack. The church's contact information is included on the back of the envelope.
Oral history of Lauren Bairnsfather, recorded as part of the Meanings of October 27th Oral History Project.
Note from a member of The Church at Severn Run in Severn, Maryland. The front of the note reads: "Heaven is for everyone! God is Love- We love you. 'If any man says he love God, he's a liar if he loves not his brother.' 'Love they neighbor as thyself.' We are all children of the Lord. We are all the same in God's eyes. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." Illustrations of a smiling heart, five-pointed star, cloud, rainbow, as well as flowers, appear below.
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.
Card with large pink rose on the cover with note from Amanda, Jon, Anne Elisabeth, Daniel, and Jay [last name redacted] inside."
Hardwritten card in blue pen on white paper, offering condolences following the October 27 attack.
Summary: KDKA-TV breaking news report on the October 27 attack. Includes updates throughout the day with more info about the shooting and responses from public officials
Folded card with crayon and marker illustration. Cover features smiley face. Interior features illustration of heart and of rising sun. Text reads, "Things do get better. We are so sorry for your loss and all the pain you've endured in recent days. Sending our best wishes and love for healing and peace in the days ahead. Beth [last name redacted for privacy] of Beth Chai Congregation in Maryland.
Summary: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review profile of the Squirrel Hill neighborhood and its response to the October 27 attack. Includes interviews with local residents and businesses-owners.
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.
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."
Card made by a student from the George Washington University Hillel. Card reads: "Praise the Lord, all you nations, extol Him, all your peoples for great is His love toward us. And the faithfullness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord." This message is an English rendering of Psalms 117:1-2.
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.