Community Day School educators keep memories alive during Oct. 27 commemoration
Oct. 27From classroom to heart

Community Day School educators keep memories alive during Oct. 27 commemoration

'The only way that they're going to find out is if we tell the story'

An Oct. 27 commemoration brought survivors, victims' families, community members and students together for an age-appropriate program at Community Day School on Oct. 28, 2024. (Photo by Adam Reinherz)
An Oct. 27 commemoration brought survivors, victims' families, community members and students together for an age-appropriate program at Community Day School on Oct. 28, 2024. (Photo by Adam Reinherz)

When teaching history, sometimes recent events are the hardest to cover. Six years after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, Community Day School teachers wished to convey the story of Oct. 27, 2018, to middle schoolers. With help from  survivors, victims’ families and representatives of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, educators framed Oct. 27 in an age-appropriate way.

“Six years ago, 11 souls were killed while they were davening, while they were praying to God, on a Shabbat morning,” Casey Weiss, CDS’ head of school, told students Monday morning. “To be at a Shabbat service, to spend your time reflecting in peace and love, is one of the most beautiful acts that we can do as Jews.”

Community Day School educator Leigh Stein speaks about her dad, Daniel Stein, during an Oct. 27 commemoration at the Jewish day school. (Photo by Adam Reinherz)

Within the Tree of Life building were three congregations: Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life, Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, said. “It’s really important to us that we always remember that all three congregations worshiped there together. There were three different congregations, with different congregational leaders and different communities, but all doing the same thing and they frequently joined for lunch afterwards.”

As services began, “unfortunately that day somebody who had hate in his heart came in and caused a lot of harm. Eleven people were murdered and 11 people survived and were able to get out that day.”

Part of what Oct. 27 entails is remembering “incredible people,” Feinstein continued. Several individuals from Pittsburgh’s Zone 4 police station entered the synagogue to save worshippers. “The police officers who came were heroic. They came quickly, and they wanted to help. And there were a lot of people who came to help them, and we remember them. And we remember their acts of heroism and bravery that day as well, that they were able to apprehend the person in the building.”

On that day and afterward there were other people, across the city and elsewhere, who stood up and stood together “against antisemitism, and that was really important for a lot of us who felt very scared after that event,” Feinstein said.

Community Day School student Eli Eidinger participates in Monday’s program. (Photo by Adam Reinherz)

Almost five years from that day a trial began against the person who caused so much harm, and that person was “found guilty, and they’re in jail for the rest of their life,” she said. It’s important to remember that “there was a justice system that made sure that there was accountability.”

A lot of times in school, people talk about helpers; some of the “helpers” from that period were the jurors and others who participated in a judicial system, Feinstein added. “So as you guys are learning about the American government, it’s really important to think a little bit about what it takes to have a just society.”

While Oct. 27 is a day to recall the helpers and heroes, it’s also a chance to remember the 11 people who died and the things that made their lives special, Feinstein told the students.

For some of the 11, it was making a minyan. For others, it was putting out siddurim (prayer books) for people at shul. Some people would set up food for a kiddush lunch. Other people would lead services.

“When we remember the 11, we remember acts of kindness, we remember generosity of spirit and we also remember the joy of being Jewish,” Feinstein said. “They came for Shabbat, which is a joyous time. They showed up every week, and that’s something that we carry forward as a tradition as well.”

Following Feinstein’s remarks, short bios were read of Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax and Irving Younger. Victims’ families, survivors of the attack and students read prepared pieces before lighting yahrzeit candles. Mourner’s Kaddish was recited.

Community Day School educator Michal Schachter describes a mosaic she and sixth graders made. (Photo by Adam Reinherz)

Before the program’s close, Michal Schachter, a first grade Hebrew teacher at the school, displayed a mosaic that she and sixth graders made. In the work, a tree pushes out into the sky while burying its roots.

There’s a lot of symbolism in the piece, Shachter said. Beneath the tree are 11 roots, and bursting forth above are 11 branches. There are also 11 colors included in the mosaic.

The tree, Schachter said, was made of glass “because it’s bulky and it’s strong.”

A corresponding piece includes the Hebrew names of each of the 11 people who died on Oct. 27. Both works will be displayed at the Jewish day school.

Leigh Stein, a first grade teacher at CDS, organized Monday’s program. Her father, Daniel Stein, was among the 11 murdered during the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.

Telling the story of Oct. 27 to middle schoolers is important, and incorporating survivors, victims’ families and community members is a “must,” she said. It’s essential that students make the connection and know that “we’re real people, and that this is something that happened in our community.”

Stein thanked members of the family group for providing “overwhelming” support and helping “keep the memories alive.”

Recalling history isn’t easy, but it’s imperative, Stein said. “It’s important for the kids to know the story of what happened on that fateful day — Oct. 27, 2018 — and the only way that they’re going to find out is if we tell the story.” PJC

Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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