4 | OCTOBER 31 • 2024 
J
N

PURELY COMMENTARY

essay

United in Grief, Strong in Hope 
A

s we reflect on the Oct. 27 
sixth anniversary of the 
Tree of Life mass shooting 
that left 11 Jewish worshipers, 
most of them elderly, dead, we 
again find ourselves in a new and 
painful chapter in 
Jewish history. The 
recent horrors in 
Israel and across the 
Diaspora cast an even 
darker shadow on this 
commemoration. 
 Out of such 
devastation comes the 
remarkable power of resilience — a 
quality that has shaped our people 
for generations. The events of Oct. 
7, 2023, may have shaken us to our 
core, but they have also reignited 
a fierce determination to survive, 
thrive and defend our right to live 
freely as Jews, no matter where we 
are.
Six years ago in Pittsburgh, we 
were reminded that hate still festers 
in the world. Every year since, 
we’ve been reminded of something 
far more powerful — our ability 
to rebuild, find hope amid the 
brokenness and unify in the face of 
fear. This moment, more than any 
before, calls for deep reflection on 
what it means to be resilient as Jews 
today. When faced with the darkness, 
we have always turned toward the 
light of community, faith and action.
What sets this year apart is not 
only the physical trauma of a seven-
front war facing Israel but the 
ripple effect it has had on Jewish 
communities worldwide. Just as 
Squirrel Hill became a symbol of 
perseverance in 2018, today, Israel 
stands as a living testament to the 
unyielding Jewish spirit. We mourn, 
but we do not succumb to fear. 
Instead, we draw from our tradition 
of turning anguish into action, 
despair into defiance.

Squirrel Hill, the heart of Jewish 
Pittsburgh, is more than just Mr. 
Rogers’ Neighborhood; it is a model 
for what a community should be. 
Even before the massacre, Squirrel 
Hill embodied diversity, unity 
and Jewish life in America. In the 
wake of the tragedy, it transformed 
into a beacon of resilience, where 
differences became strengths and 
unity was the only option. The way 
this neighborhood has healed and 
continues to rebuild is nothing short 
of extraordinary. It is not just a place 
where a tragedy occurred; it’s a place 
where a community redefined itself 
in the face of that calamity.
Pittsburgh itself has a long history 
of rebuilding. From its days as an 
industrial powerhouse to its recent 
transformation into a hub for 
technology, education and health 
care, the city has never shied away 
from reinvention. In the aftermath of 
the Tree of Life massacre, Pittsburgh 
once again showed its ability to come 

together and create opportunities 
from hardship. It’s a city that 
understands the importance of 
remembering the past while always 
moving forward. The collective 
strength of this city mirrors the 
resilience of the Jewish people, and 
it serves as an example of how a 
community can rebuild in the face of 
unimaginable loss.
The survivors of the mass 
shooting and the families of 
those lost exemplify this spirit. 
Their pain remains, but so does 
their unrelenting commitment 
to ensuring that such a tragedy 
is never forgotten, and that the 
next generation understands 
the importance of vigilance and 
resilience. The greatest tribute we 
can pay to them is not in the solemn 
recitation of their loss but in the 
active, hopeful work to create a 
world where hate against Jews has no 
place.
In this reflection, we also find 

inspiration from global solidarity — 
alliances being forged, bridges being 
built and voices being raised against 
antisemitism in all its forms. In times 
of crisis, we see who stands with us. 
We see partnerships that have grown 
stronger post-Abraham Accords, 
and we see the will of Jewish and 
non-Jewish allies to challenge hate 
wherever it emerges. We look to find 
clarity among the river of cultural 
sewage that exists in our streets each 
and every day.
Now is not just a time to 
remember but a time to act, to 
reaffirm that our response to tragedy 
will be life, community, and an 
unwavering commitment to security 
and peace. As the memory of those 
lost at the Tree of Life synagogue 
lives on in every action we take to 
safeguard our future, we honor them 
not only with words but also with 
deeds — by ensuring that Jewish 
life is celebrated, protected and 
empowered worldwide.
The road forward may be fraught 
with challenges, but it is paved with 
hope. Hope for a world where Jewish 
children can grow up without fear, 
and where synagogues remain places 
of prayer and not battlegrounds. 
Our call to action: Stand firm, 
stand proud, rise above hate and 
never let tragedy define us.
On the sixth anniversary of this 
horrible event, let us reflect not on 
the hate that tried to destroy us but 
on the love, courage and resilience 
that continue to define us. We are 
still here. We are still fighting for a 
future where such darkness never 
touches our children, and we are 
still and always will be united by the 
hope for peace. 

Steve Rosenberg is principal of the GSD Group 

and board chair of the Philadelphia Jewish 

Sports Hall of Fame. He is the author of Make 

Bold Things Happen: Inspirational Stories From 

Sports, Business and Life.

Steve 
Rosenberg
JNS.org

People pay their respects at a memorial in front of the Tree of Life Synagogue in the 
Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh to the 11 Jewish victims of a mass shooting 
a week earlier, Nov. 4, 2018.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

MDOS_Voter_Education_Campaign_Jewish_News_8.9x10_10-10-24_and_10-31-24_Netflix_Ins_F1.indd 1

