Tel Aviv synagogue hosts 'united as one’ memorial for Pittsburgh victims

"In Israel and in Tel Aviv, we are sending tonight our full support and full solidarity with the Jewish community in Pittsburgh."

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Updated: OCTOBER 30, 2018 02:39
Dozens of people gathered at the Tel Aviv International Synagogue on September 29, 2018 (photo credit: ANDREA BENISTI)
Dozens of people gathered at the Tel Aviv International Synagogue on September 29, 2018
(photo credit: ANDREA BENISTI)
Dozens of people gathered at the Tel Aviv International Synagogue on Monday evening to pray for the victims of the Pittsburgh mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue that took the lives of 11 people on Saturday.
The event was organized by the KeepOlim movement, Col. Olivier Rafowicz, Rabbi Avi Gillel and Rabbi Ariel Konstantyn and attended by several new immigrants from Pittsburgh. "In this dark hour, we must Unite as One and send a message that we, the Jewish people, will not be silent about the growing wave of antisemitism around the world, including in the United States" they said.
Speaking during the memorial ceremony, Rafowicz said: "in Israel and in Tel Aviv we are sending tonight our full support and full solidarity with the Jewish community in Pittsburgh. When Jewish people, wherever they live, are killed or wounded only because They are Jews, it makes no difference. It is the same beast. And now the beast is rising its head again. We have to fight back. Israel is a Jewish State. And from here, we are sending our love to our brothers and sisters in pain. We love you and we are also here for you. ”