10 January 10 • 2019
jn

F

or a period 
of 10 days in 
December, 
Jewish Community 
Center staff from 
around North 
America filled in 
as JResponders to 
provide the JCC of 
Greater Pittsburgh 
with an opportunity for respite and 
healing with their families after the 
devastating attack on the Tree of Life 
Synagogue in Squirrel Hill. I had the 
opportunity to go to the JCC and work 
in a variety of positions and serve as a 
JResponder on one of these days. 
When I received the email asking for 
volunteers to go to the JCC of Greater 
Pittsburgh, I didn’
t even think twice 
about it. I have always been involved 
in community service and have loved 
helping others no matter who it is 
or the circumstances. I had no idea 
what job I would be assigned or who 
I would be working with, but I knew 
I wanted to be part of the healing 
process for Pittsburgh and the JCC 
community. 
In this fast-paced world where we 
are all under pressure to think and act 
quickly, it can be incredibly difficult 
to slow ourselves down. I wanted to 
take time to breathe and really take 
in the experience from every aspect; I 
had no idea how beneficial my trip to 
Pittsburgh would be for me.
Never having been directly affect-
ed by a tragedy similar to the mass 
shooting at the Tree of Life, I expected 
to see a crippled community with 
memorials to those who lost their lives 
everywhere and people struggling to 
cope. I expected to see tears and a lack 
of energy in the building; my expecta-
tions couldn’
t have been further from 
the truth.
As I walked into the JCC of Greater 
Pittsburgh on a very cold Friday morn-
ing, I was greeted by smiling faces, 
children headed up to preschool, and 
an unexpected hustle and bustle every 
which way I looked. I had the oppor-
tunity to spend the day with many of 
the staff at the JCC to assist staff in 
any way they needed. In that time, I 

learned how their department and 
community responded firsthand after 
the hateful tragedy and got to know 
many of them on a personal level. I 
was mindful of what I said to ensure I 
didn’
t upset anyone, not realizing how 
much healing had already taken place. 
The more people I talked to, staff 
and JCC members, the more I began 
noticing an enormous sense of pride 
in their community. They all held 
their heads high, acknowledged what 
happened, and indirectly made it very 
clear they are a tremendously resilient 
community who with the support of 
their friends, family and community, 
can and will overcome anything. It was 
clear to me that I was exactly where I 
was meant to be. 
Rather than seeing a story on the 
news or reading an article, I was able 
to be present in that moment, look the 
staff and community members in their 
eyes and feel what they were feeling 
and see healing right in front of my 
eyes. I couldn’
t have asked for anything 
more genuine. 
I also had the opportunity to visit 
the Tree of Life after my shift at the 
JCC. As I drove up to it, the building 
was dark and locked up. Standing in 
front of the memorials of those who 
lost their lives on the day of the shoot-
ing, it felt dark. 
Adjacent to the memorials were 
dozens and dozens of Post-It notes the 
community had written and put up on 
the wall next to the front doors. People 
had written notes from all over the 
world, several from Israel. 
Two notes in particular stood out 
to me. One read, “You are not alone.
” 
The other read, “We cannot change 
the past, but we can inspire the future.
” 
These two notes, similar to many of 
the others I read, inspired me to return 
to Detroit and share my experiences 
with friends, family and coworkers. 
No matter the amount of hate that 
exists in this world, communities will 
always come together and support one 
another. ■

Stephanie Zoltowski is the director of special 
needs at the JCC of Metro Detroit in West 
Bloomfield.

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