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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Friendship Circle of Illinois card (09)

Card from the Friendship Circle of Illinois. The front of the card features an illustration of 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, Ny., the international headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The inside reads: "To the Jewish community of Pittsburgh sheyichyu (may they live), I'm very sad to hear about the tragic passing of the eleven yidden (Jews) who were so brutally murdered al kiddush Hashem (sanctified by God). I hope there will be no more bad things that happen. Truly yours, Leibel [last name redacted] from Gurnee, Illinois." On the right flap there is an illustration of the "Ohel" the monumental tomb in Queens, Ny. where the former Lubavitcher Rebee, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, is buried. The acronym "BS"D" (with the help of heaven) appears in the upper right corner on the back.

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, but a small number were arranged in public display in the windows of the Hailperin Sanctuary. Rauh Jewish Archives staff and volunteers dismantled this display on February 16, 2023, and the objects were brought to the archive for preservation. The Stuart I. Raskas Friendship Circle of Illinois, an affiliate of the Chabad-Lubavitch Chasidic Jewish movement, provides children with disabilities in the Chicago metropolitan area with access to meaningful social and Judaic programming.

Use and Reproduction

Donor Information

Item

MSS1297_B001_F013

Donor

Tree of Life Congregation, New Light Congregation, Congregation Dor Hadash, Tree of Life Inc., The 10.27 Healing Partnership

Subjects

Children , Chabad , Jewish , Friendship Club