Rabbis from congregations in the Cincinnati area organized a vigil at the Jewish Community Center to offer words of wisdom and reassurance in response to the fatal shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on the morning of Oct. 27 which killed 11 people.
"It was so meaningful to see so many people come together in this time of fear. Together as a community, we prayed in spite of the hatred and violence supprounding our religion," said Zoe Nourie, 10.
In honor of each victim killed from the shooting, each pulpit member lit a candle and read the name and age of each victim in memory of their life. Following the candle lighting ceremony, the community sang a prayer called the Mourners Kaddish that is traditionally said in memory of people who hae passed away.
"It's terrifying that we live in a society where you don't know if you will come home at the end of the day. Possible shootings have become an underlying fear in my mind because of past events at schools, but having threats in my religious life only adds to the disgust. The only good aspect that has come out of this is the overwhelming support from the Jewish community. I am honored to live in a community where so many people can come together to combat the hatred that is entering our world," said Sayna Kling, 12.
Credits:
Abby Lefton