The Collection

The October 27 Archive currently contains 839 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.

Using this archive

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.

 

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MSS1297_B002_F001_I001_P001.jpg
MSS1297_B002_F001_I001_P002_Redacted.jpg
Painting

Splatter painting with tree

Splatter painting on paper with a black background speckled with paint and a yellow tree with eleven flames symbolizing the eleven victims of the October 27 attack. Signed lower right [signature illegible]. Inscribed on the back with the following message: "Tree of Life. Pittsburg[h] PA. 10.27.18. Dean [last name redacted] family, Tree of Life community." Spelling errors corrected for clarity. Creasing and holes due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial.

Historical Notes

In the days after the October 27 attack, people began leaving objects at two locations outside the Tree of Life synagogue--one at the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues in front of the Zittrain Gardens, and the other on a private lawn at Wilkins and Murray avenues, just beyond police barricades. Community volunteers moved the entirety of these two memorials inside the Tree of Life building on November 14, 2018, for preservation purposes. Most of these objects including this one were moved to archival preservation. Over the following year, a small number were arranged in public display in the windows of the Hailperin Sanctuary lobby. Rauh Jewish Archives staff and volunteers dismantled this display on February 16, 2023, and the objects were brought to the archive for preservation. This painting was left by a family for the Tree of Life community.

Use and Reproduction
Donor Information
Item
MSS1297_B002_F001
Donor
Tree of Life Congregation, New Light Congregation, Congregation Dor Hadash, Tree of Life Inc., The 10.27 Healing Partnership
Subjects
Tree of Life Congregation (Pittsburgh, Pa.) , Judaism

Full metadata

Metadata

Splatter painting with tree

Object Identifier
MSS1297_B002_F001_I001
Object Date
2018-10-27
Member of Item
MSS1297_B002_F001
Primary Type
Painting
Secondary Type
Card
Donor
Tree of Life Congregation, New Light Congregation, Congregation Dor Hadash, Tree of Life Inc., The 10.27 Healing Partnership
Description

Splatter painting on paper with a black background speckled with paint and a yellow tree with eleven flames symbolizing the eleven victims of the October 27 attack. Signed lower right [signature illegible]. Inscribed on the back with the following message: "Tree of Life. Pittsburg[h] PA. 10.27.18. Dean [last name redacted] family, Tree of Life community." Spelling errors corrected for clarity. Creasing and holes due to exposure to the elements at the Wilkins memorial.

Member of Collection
October 27 Tribute Collection [MSS 1297]
Event
Wilkins Avenue Memorial
Group
Gifts
Subject
Tree of Life Congregation (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Judaism
Creator
Dean [redacted] family
Dimensions
7 3/4 x 7 3/4 in.
Language
English