The Collection

The October 27 Archive currently contains 149 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.

 

View the collection

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Profile of person sitting at a microphone.
Photo Credit
Brian Cohen

Oral History Cards

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headshot photograph of Rabbi Elisar Admon
Interview

Rabbi Elisar Admon

Rabbi Elisar Admon was a teacher at the Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh and a member of the Gesher Chaim Shel Emes chevra kadisha (burial society) at the time of the October 27 attack.

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headshot photograph of Meryl Ainsman
Interview

Meryl Ainsman

Meryl Kirshner Ainsman (b. 1954) was chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh board of directors at the time of the October 27 attack.

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headshot photograph of Zach Banner
Interview

Zach Banner

Zach Banner was an offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the time of the October 27 attack and became well-known within the local Jewish community in early 2020 when he challenged an antisemitic social media post written by a fellow National Football League player.

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headshot photograph of Liddy Barlow
Interview

Liddy Barlow

Rev. Liddy Barlow was the executive minister of Christian Associates of Southwestern Pennsylvania and a pastor in the United Church of Christ at the time of the October 27 attack.

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headshot photograph of Nancy Bernstein
Interview

Nancy Bernstein

Nancy Bernstein is a community organizer and political activist in Pittsburgh. She was a founder of J Street Pittsburgh and co-chair of the group at the time of the October 27 attack. 

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headshot photograph of Rabbi Aaron Bisno
Interview

Rabbi Aaron Bisno

Rabbi Aaron Bisno was senior rabbi of Rodef Shalom Congregation at the time of the October 27 attack and is now Frances F. & David R. Levin Rabbinic Scholar at the congregation.

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headshot photograph of Kathy Blee.
Interview

Kathleen Blee

Kathleen Blee is the Bettye J. and Ralph E. Bailey Dean in the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of Congregation Dor Hadash. 

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headshot photograph of Shawn Brokos.
Interview

Shawn Brokos

Shawn Brokos is the Director of Jewish Community Security at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and was a Crisis Management Coordinator at Federal Bureau of Investigations Pittsburgh’s field office during the October 27 attack.

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headshot photograph of Walter Caplan
Interview

Walter Caplan

Walter Daniel “Wally” Caplan was raised in Jeannette, PA. in Westmoreland County and has lived most of his life in Greenberg, PA. aside from his college years at Penn State University.

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headshot photograph of Rosalind Chow
Interview

Rosalind Chow

Rosalind Chow is a professor of Organizational Behavior at Carnegie Mellon University and was director of its Executive Leadership Academy at the time of the October 27 attack.