Dear friends,
It's been almost one week since the Pittsburgh massacre of Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Those who lost loved ones are still in the 7 day period of Shiva. This tragedy is still so recent. As a Jewish people, we grieve in stages, from the initial shock, through burial, Shiva, and the first 30 day period of Shloshim. Our mourning changes as we as we try to heal from tragedy.
Our community vigil was an incredible evening of solidarity which crossed denominational lines. I couldn't feel more grateful for my colleagues. Our unity surpasses one night of mourning and strength. We are bound together in a deep history and a commitment to a safe, rich, and long lasting future. Unfortunately, the amount of times our resilience has been tested is innumerable over the centuries. It is built into our culture, our prayers, and our teachings to be able to move through collective and personal grief.
One of our members, Steven Baron, brought this quote to my attention: “Bringing people together to promote connections and collective healing after a tragedy is often what strengthens families and communities the most.”
Dr. Ericka Felix, Asst. Professor, USC
Coming together is not just lip service. It is intrinsically healing. Please join us as we participate in the #ShowupforShabbat campaign developed by the AJC. If you are away for the weekend, consider finding a community nearby. Just connect in some way.
If you need to speak one-on-one, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or Cantor Kowitz. If you need resources to speak to your children about the shooting, we have attached a document with suggestions.
We are going to be holding a healing circle this coming Monday, November 5th to give people an opportunity to share and listen to one another.
May we go into Shabbat with a deep prayer to build a world of peace and the determination to grow from strength to strength
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Bernstein
Guidelines for Talking to Children about PittsburghUJA Federation Resources Regarding Pitttsburgh 
Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism