PITTSBURGH —
Pittsburgh’s Jewish community gathered at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill to commemorate the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks in Israel, where Hamas militants killed about 1,200 Jews and took hundreds hostage, sparking a war with widespread bloodshed.
Rabbi James Gibson of the Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh reflected on the significance of remembrance. “If the memory is just for memory sake, then it has limited value. If it spurs us on to do what we’re here to do as Jews and as a community, then we have a chance to make something positive come out of a horrible situation,” Gibson said.
Dean Aseef, a community emissary at the Pittsburgh JCC, shared his personal connection to the tragedy.
“I have a lot of people that I knew, and that my family knew, people that were there, soldiers that fought on that day. And it still feels like it was yesterday for me,” Aseef said. Originally from Israel, Aseef was living there during the attacks and has been in Pittsburgh for two years.
Reflecting on the community’s response, Aseef added, “This one is special. There’s something about the people, Jews and non-Jews that choose to stand together in difficult moments and amazing, amazing community here.”
Aseef organized interactive exhibits for the event, where community members of all ages and backgrounds came together to learn and unite in the face of tragedy.
Shani Pelled, a Squirrel Hill resident, expressed her dedication to honoring the victims. “Learn anything I possibly can about the people that were affected by this. I consider them my brothers and sisters and really, to ingrain in my children the importance of making this day forever from this time forward an important day for the rest of our lives,” Pelled said.
Another Squirrel Hill resident, teenager Ari Paris, highlighted the resilience of the community. “The community has built back so much stronger. We see all types of synagogues coming together, all types of Jewish groups coming together,” Paris said.
In a few weeks, Pittsburgh’s Jewish community will gather again to commemorate eight years since the Tree of Life massacre.