LOG

Guest User 10/25/19 Guest User 10/25/19

October 27, One Year Later

The Tree of Life is Weeping, a Memorial to October 27, 2018.

The world has kept turning, and we find ourselves approaching the one year mark since the tragic and shocking shooting in Pittsburgh. There are many ways to show the three congregations whose home was the Tree of Life* Or L’Simcha building that we have not forgotten, that we are thinking of them with compassion and support as they approach this one year mark. Each of those communities, Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life lost members in the shooting. Here is a link where people around the world will pause and be virtually together in memory at 2:00 PM PDT on Oct 27. I urge you to be a participant.

The AntiDefamation League also has eleven activities suggested in support, one for each of the lives lost, so that we make their memory a force for good in the world.

I am also offering reproductions of “The Tree of Life is Weeping” for your home or synagogue or Jewish Agency as a memorial. It comes with an accompanying certificate detailing the symbolism in the painting.

The proceeds from the sale of these prints are donated to HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. The fact that this agency has an office in the Jewish Community and Family Services building, near the synagogue is why the shooter chose to attack —because HIAS has for decades been a defender of legal immigrants and asylum seekers from all nations.

May our collective action not only memorialize, but make change in our struggling American culture to live up to our ideals.

Blessings, Rabbi Me’irah

Guest User 3/21/19 Guest User 3/21/19

A Tree Grows In Pittsburgh

I am settling back home from my visit to Squirrel Hill, the home of The Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue building in Pittsburgh, where the three communities New Light, Dor Hadash, and Tree of Life worshipped, and all lost members on October 27 of last year.

A part of me will forever remain there. I poured my heart into my painting, The Tree of Life is Weeping, and the community, survivors, families of the slain, first responders, received with their selves in tears and gratitude. We touched by means of the painting. To have my artwork contribute to healing—my soul has reached its pinnacle. I will write another blog about what I learned. I experienced a whole kehillah grieving, but also tremendous energy from the world community aimed toward supporting, giving, healing: Tikkun Olam in the deepest sense of the Hebrew word: correcting and transforming evil energy into good. The Tree of Life, the universal symbol of miraculous diversity, harmony, peace and thriving is being nourished by many, in the face of this tragic assault.

I have made a decision to offer giclee art prints of the painting for sale, and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Pittsburgh affiliate of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society or HIAS. Because the local community supported HIAS, it was targeted by the shooter.