Card addressed to Rabbi Jeffrey Myers and Tree of Life synagogue from members of an extended family living in Massillon, Oh. (two hour drive from Pittsburgh), as well as Portland, Or., Vancouver, Canada, and San Antonio, Tx. The senders extend their heartfelt sympathies to Rabbi Myers and the entire Tree of Life family. They appended a note on the back flap of the envelope specifying that they brought a stone from the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee, referred to colloquially in Hebrew as "the Kinneret," is a lake in northern Israel which figures prominently in both Judaism and Christianity. Leaving stones on the graveside is a common feature of Jewish mourning rituals.
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 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 card was left at the Wilkins Memorial by members of an extended family who wished to convey their solidarity and sympathy with the victims and their families, as well as the local Jewish community.
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.
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