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
Oral history of Kathy Blee, recorded as part of the Meanings of October 27th Oral History Project.
Hand painted card with a rainbow-colored heart on the front. Signed lower right: "Love, Brian S." The card has been laminated.
Summary: WESA profile on alleged perpetrator of the October 27 attack, including background on his social media posts about HIAS. Includes comments from HIAS President Mark Hetfield and from social media platform Gab.
Handwritten note and envelope from new residents of Squirrel Hill, formerly of Santa Barbara, Ca.
Double-sided letter written in black ink on lined notebook paper addressed to the eleven victims of the October 27 attack. Dated 10/29/19 upper right, front. Extensive staining on the upper center, front, and tearing on the edges, due to exposure elements at the Wilkins memorial. Signed Nicole on the back.
Single-page folded to create four-page booklet. Black text on blue paper. Cover features illustration of number 15 with decorative flowers. Interior includes details of event.
White envelope addressed to Tree of Life Congregation. Handwritten in black ink. Staining due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial.
Typed two-page letter addressed to the Tree of Life synagogue, families of victims, and survivors. Dated Sunday Nov. 18, 2024. Contains tributes from multiple individuals throughout western and central Pennsylvania, including Allegheny, Beaver, Elk, and Washington counties, as well as a couple from Pacific Grove, Ca. The second page has since been lost.
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: "We are with you, our brothers and sisters. Stand strong within your faith- unyielding, unshakeable. Do not despair." The church's contact information is included on the back of the envelope.
Single page with typed text. Text lists order of Friday evening service, including page numbers and readings with instructions for cantor.
Card made by a student from the George Washington University Hillel. Contents of card rendered illegible by water damage at the memorial site.
Glass vase containing bouquet of synthetic orange, white, and red flowers. Also includes synthetic roses in cellophane. Note with typed text taped to vase. Note reads, "For our dear friend Joyce Fienberg, from [redacted], Green Templeton College, Oxford University, and [redacted]."
Hand painted, laminated sign with the words: "May their memories be a blessing" in black paint." Eleven yellow candles with orange flames, symbolizing the eleven victims of the October 27 attack, appear below.
Letter from a member of the Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The letter is dated November 2018 and reads: "God's peace be with you. Love, Peggy [last name redacted]."
Handwritten card from a student at Goddard Middle School in Littleton, Co. The front cover features the following quote: "No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted." An illustration of a rainbow appears below. The inside reads: "Dear Tree of Life Congregation, I am sorry for your loss. I am writing to you from Colorado. I would like you to know people far away care for you. I may not believe in Judaism but I believe your heart is in the right place. Sincerely, Uyen [last name redacted], Littleton, Colorado."
Card with polka dots on the cover. The card is addressed "Neighbors" and affirms the three senders' thoughts and prayers for the "victims, family members, and friends at Tree of Life."
Post-it note with handwritten message in blue marker. The message reads: "You [underlined] are the beacon of light and hope. Only love can defeat hate. My prayers and love are with you."
Folded card on blue paper with various taped cutouts. Front cover contains a white heart-shaped cutout. Inside features cutouts in the shape of a house, sun, and blue sky. The sun's rays are illustrated in colored pencil.
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.