Dear Friends,

We know that some of our colleagues are interested in solemnizing the shloshim of the attack on the Tree of Life Congregation and New Light Congregation in Pittsburgh. We are inspired and strengthened by the courage and resilience of all of our colleagues currently in Pittsburgh, as well as those who served there previously or were privileged to grow up there. 

We continue to pledge our support and our friendship to the survivors and the families of the victims. As colleagues, we extend our loving support to Jeffery Myers and Jonathan Perlman who survived the shooting, and to RA past president Alvin Berkun, rabbi emeritus of the Tree of Life Congregation.

Jeffrey Myers prepared some thoughts and Jonathan Perlman wrote a poem that rabbis could share with their congregation this coming Shabbat Parshat Vayeshev. Of course, rabbis may also want to craft their own readings in memorial of the fallen and to strengthen our entire community, worldwide, that grieves the loss of these innocent lives.

In sympathy,

Julie Schonfeld

Chief Executive Officer, Rabbinical Assembly

Please find the names and funeral dates of those who died below:

Jerry Rabinowitz    10/30/2018

Cecil Rosenthal     10/30/2018

David Rosenthal    10/30/2018

Daniel Stein          10/30/2018

Joyce Fienberg      10/31/2018

Melvin Wax           10/31/2018

Irving Younger      10/31/2018

Richard Gottfried   11/01/2018

Bernice Simon       11/01/2018

Sylvan Simon        11/01/2018

Rose Mallinger     11/02/2018