‘We cannot give into despair’: Rabbi
Hundreds of people gather at city hall to remember people killed in Pittsburgh
Hundreds of people braved chilly November air Sunday evening to gather at St. Catharines city hall to stand in solidarity with the local Jewish community and remember the people murdered during the recent massacre at the Temple of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Members of the Congregation B’nai Israel in St. Catharines organized the vigil, where Jewish and civic leaders decried hatred, discrimination and violence.
B’nai Israel student rabbi Joshua Schwartz urged people not to be afraid, not to allow discrimination and anti-Semitism to push Jews away from openly embracing their identities.
Schwartz also said if hatred is going to be beaten, saying “never again” without action and leaning on “mealy-mouthed comprises” won’t work.
Discrimination must be openly confronted, he said.
On Oct. 27 a man armed with an automatic rifle opened fire on the congregation at the Temple of Life during a Shabbat service while shouting anti-Semitic slo-
gans, killing 11 people.
Robert Bowers, 46, surrender to police and faces 29 charges. The shooting is the deadliest attack on a Jewish community in American history.
Sunday’s vigil, which was spearheaded by St. Patrick’s ward councillor-elect Karrie Porter, also featured speeches from other members of the local Jewish community, St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik, St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle and Niagara Regional Police Chief Bryan MacCulloch.
Schwartz said in an interview after the vigil that he understands people are upset and even afraid in a political environment fuelled by increasing anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric punctuated by acts of violence.
But he said people cannot give up and said the Jewish community, despite the history of discrimination and violence it has faced, is called upon to help build a “healed world.”
“We absolutely cannot give into nihilism. We cannot give into despair,” he said. “We have to build a world of true justice.”