Hundreds turn out for Pittsburgh vigil after 6 hostages murdered in Gaza
Vigil at JCC brings together diverse group of community members in solidarity
Pittsburgh’s Jewish community turned out in strength — and unity — Tuesday night for a vigil in memory of the six hostages murdered by Hamas in Gaza last week, and in support of those still held in captivity.
More than 300 Jewish Pittsburghers and their allies packed the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s Levinson Hall to hear about the lives of Eden Yerushalmi, 23; Carmel Gat, 40; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alex Lobanov, 32; Ori Danino, 25; and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23. All six hostages were shot multiple times at close range, indicating they were executed, according to The Times of Israel. The Israel Defense Forces recovered their bodies from Gaza on Saturday.
The vigil was conceived by Karen Gal-Or and Marjorie Manne, who both traveled with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh to Israel in June. While there, they met with the family of a hostage and survivors of the Oct. 7 attack.
“Every single day since Oct. 7, we have prayed for the return of the hostages, and have tried in every way possible to raise awareness of their plight,” Gal-Or told the crowd at the commencement of the vigil. “We are here today to mourn the tragic loss of these six remarkable young lives, so full of promise and love taken from us far too soon.”
After learning of the murders of “these six beautiful souls, many in our community felt and continue to feel deep sadness, even despair,” Manne told the attendees. “But we can and should find solace in our incredible community. Today’s vigil stands as a powerful testament to the strength and unity of that community. The Federation, the JCC, StandWithUs, CDS, Hillel, Yeshiva Schools and rabbis from various congregations have come together to honor the lives of these six young people and to pray for the return of the remaining hostages. It is this unity that has helped the Jewish people endure for generations.”
Manne acknowledged the support of the community’s allies. Several elected officials were present at the vigil, including Sen. John Fetterman, City Controller Rachael Heisler, Allegheny County Councilman Paul Klein, City Councilwoman Erika Stassburger, Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor and Pennsylvania state Rep. Abigail Salisbury.
Each of the six hostages was eulogized by a Pittsburgh Jewish community member, followed by videos and photos shared by their families during their captivity.
Yerushalmi, who was studying to become a Pilates instructor, loved spending time at the beach, attending parties and playing paddleball. Her sisters described her as “a dominant character with an unending joy of life.” She was working as a bartender at the Nova music festival when the terrorists attacked. She hid in a car alongside the bodies of her friends who had been killed, and later fled into a forested area, where she was abducted.
Gat, an occupational therapist from Tel Aviv, was visiting her parents at Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked, killing her mother. Gat was taken captive. While in captivity, she taught yoga and meditation to the other hostages, including the children she was with. Hostages who have been released described Gat as their guardian angel.
Sarusi loved traveling around the country with his white Jeep and guitar. He was taken hostage from the Nova music festival, which he was attending with his girlfriend. His girlfriend was shot and critically injured. Sarusi stayed by her side and tried to save her, but his efforts failed. He was captured and taken to Gaza.
Lobanov was bartending at the Nova music festival when the attack began. He helped to evacuate people until he was kidnapped by Hamas. He is the father of a toddler and a baby who was born while he was in captivity and who he never had a chance to meet.
Danino was planning to study electrical engineering and was engaged to be married. His fiancée described him as a hero who excelled in everything he did. When rockets rained down at the Nova music festival, Danino drove himself and others away from the festival to safety, but then he turned back, hoping to rescue new friends he had met at the festival. When he turned back, he was abducted by Hamas.
Goldberg-Polin became one of the most well-known hostages due to the worldwide efforts of his parents advocating for his safe return, as well as the safe return of the other hostages. He loved soccer and music and geography. Rabbi Daniel Yolkut of Congregation Poale Zedeck, who is close with the Goldberg-Polin family, spoke of their dedication and offered words of consolation to the Jewish people as they mourn.
“We, the Jewish people, are living in a deep, dark tunnel, a tunnel filled with fear and pain and sorrow, a tunnel that desperately needs to be destroyed so that we can see the light again,” said Rabbi Daniel Fellman of Temple Sinai. “One of the ways we do that is to come together. One of the ways that we get out of that tunnel of fear is to look around and see among us friends and hope and possibility, and to recognize that when we pray for the hostages, we don’t mean just those being held in Gaza. We mean all of us.”
The community’s unity at the vigil was profound. Leaders from the Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Lubavitch movements came together in solidarity. Rabbi Yitzi Genack of Congregation Shaare Torah recited a prayer for the hostages. The JCC’s Rabbi Hindy Finman led the prayer for the state of Israel in Hebrew, followed by the JCC’s President and CEO Jason Kunzman reciting it in English.
Brian Eglash, the Federation’s senior vice president and a former IDF soldier, led the prayer for the IDF in Hebrew, while Jeff Finkelstein, the Federation’s president and CEO led the prayer in English.
Chabad of Squirrel Hill’s co-Director Chani Altein led the crowd in a recitation of Psalms, Ch. 27. Rabbi Seth Adelson of Congregation Beth Shalom, on guitar, led the singing of “Acheinu,” a prayer calling for the release of captives, followed by “Hatikvah” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“This is what community looks like,” said Julie Paris, Mid-Atlantic regional director of StandWithUs, at the conclusion of the evening.
“Tonight, just as we have countless times over the last 11 months, our community comprised of religious and secular, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, non-denominational and unaffiliated, right-wing, left-wing and everything in between, Israeli, American and Jews from around the world, younger and older, we stand here together with our non-Jewish allies and friends, united through sorrow and in mourning,” Paris said. “We stand united with one voice to pray for the swift return of the remaining hostages inside of Gaza. We feel the pain for our tiny Jewish homeland that we have prayed for for thousands of years. We pray for the brave IDF soldiers and Israeli police officers who put their lives on the line every day. We pray for the victims, those who have lost family members, those who have been injured and those who have been displaced from their homes. We pray as Israel continues to fight a seven-front war, as we fight our own battles right here in our own backyard. Our strength is in our unity.”
In an interview following the vigil, Fetterman, a vocal supporter of Israel and its right to self-defense, acknowledged the ongoing trauma of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community and said that his support is resolute.
“I’m not a member of this community, and I can’t speak to the kinds of trauma, from Tree of Life, to 10/7, to the vandalism and to the students being attacked at Pitt a couple days ago — I can’t speak to that,” he said. “But what I can stand for is my voice, and that’s going to remain.” PJC
Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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