Thousands Gather At Vigil After Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting: 'I'm A Different Jew Today'

Thousands of people gathered in front of the Pittsburgh synagogue in Squirrel Hill where 11 people were killed and others injured after a man allegedly opened fire during services Saturday morning.


To pay tribute to the lives that were lost, the mourners crowded the street fronting the Tree of Life synagogue, holding candles, singing songs and pleading silently with signs to end the hate and violence.


While the Squirrel Hill neighborhood has attracted a diverse range of residents in recent years, it remains a historic hub for Pittsburgh’s Jewish population. Drew Barkley, the executive director of the nearby synagogue Temple Sinai, told Time magazine on Saturday that the community is tight-knit.


“The sad part is that people are waiting to find out who the dead are because it’s such a close-knit community there’s like one degree of separation and chances are everyone will know at least one person who died,” Barkley said.


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