(10/29/18) A message sent to our members today

Saturday morning, during a Shabbat service at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, a gunman filled with hate opened fire killing 11 innocent people practicing their faith in a sanctuary of peace. Six additional people were injured, including four courageous law enforcement officers.

Our hearts go out to the Jewish community and all of Pittsburgh as they mourn the loss of these innocent souls.

We remember the victims of this heinous hate crime whose ages’ ranged from 54 to 97
Joyce Fienberg, 75
Richard Gottfried, 65
Rose Mallinger, 97
Jerry Rabinowitz, 66
brothers Cecil Rosenthal, 59, and David Rosenthal, 54
married couple Bernice Simon, 84, and Sylvan Simon, 86
Daniel Stein, 71
Melvin Wax, 88
Irving Younger, 69

This hate crime was made possible by the dangerous political climate in our country, where tolerance and respect for others is waning.  As we have seen so many times before, one of the weapons recovered was a military-style assault rifle – the weapon of choice of mass shooters and one that causes great devastation and places law enforcement in particular danger because of its firepower.

TAKE ACTION OVER THE NEXT 8 DAYS

The President, along with federal and state lawmakers need to confront our gun issue head on, rather than calling for the addition of more weapons or the death penalty as a response.

During these precious days leading up to the election, please make a plan to vote and hold candidates for state and federal offices accountable.  Let’s make sure that love conquers hate.

In Solidarity,
The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus