Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims honored in Congressional resolution

Five years after tragedy struck Pittsburgh and the lives of 11 congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue were taken, U.S. Congress is honoring their memories.

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, have introduced resolutions to remember the lives of the 11 victims and the seven others injured in the attack and commemorate the fifth anniversary of the attack today.

They are the first Congressional resolutions specifically honoring the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting victims since resolutions were introduced by former U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Swissvale, and former U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh, in 2018.

The victims, who ranged in age from 54 to 97, were members of the Tree of Life-Or L’Simcha, Dor Hadash and New Light congregations, all of which worshipped at the synagogue on the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Their names were included in the resolutions: Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax and Irving Younger.

Lee said in a statement that the victims were beloved members of the Pittsburgh community who sought solace, peace and unity within the walls of their synagogue. She said she was moved by the painful memories and beautiful stories about the victims that were shared with her when she visited the synagogue earlier this year.

“In this time of tremendous pain and heightened trauma, it’s crucial that we reaffirm our commitment to one another and to the values of compassion, tolerance and unity that define us at our best,” Lee said. “They inspire me to work even harder to confront the root causes of antisemitism, hatred, racism and bigotry so that no community has to live in fear of such senseless violence ever again.”

Casey’s resolution was co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, and it passed the Senate by unanimous consent Wednesday.

Casey condemned the “cowardly and horrific attack” on the Jewish congregants and said Congress must continue to combat antisemitism and bigotry. He also honored the first responders who provided care to the victims and their families and law enforcement officials who brought the perpetrator to justice.

“With this unanimously passed resolution, we honor the memory of those taken from us that day and reaffirm in the strongest terms that hatred has no place in our nation,” said Casey in a release. “We must continue working to root out the antisemitism and bigotry that plague our world.”

Fetterman said he was proud to join Casey and said it was important to “remember and honor the lives lost in this horrific massacre.”

“We will never forget this hateful act, the victims who were injured or killed, and its impact on the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and nationwide,” Fetterman said.

Lee’s resolution was co-sponsored by 63 members of the U.S. House and all eight Democratic members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation, including Pittsburgh-area U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall.

Deluzio said it’s especially important to remember the lives lost during the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, as the local community also processes Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel.

“This resolution marks a dark and terrible day in the history of Western Pennsylvania and the history of our country,” Deluzio said. “We must all recommit to the fight against the scourges of antisemitism and hate.”

Robert Bowers, 50, of Baldwin was convicted and sentenced to death for shooting and killing 11 Jewish congregants during his attack at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018.