President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris issued statements Sunday commemorating the sixth anniversary of the mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which claimed 11 Jewish lives in what remains the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history, JNS reported.
The 2018 attack occurred at 10:30 a.m. during Shabbat morning services when an armed assailant killed 11 worshippers and wounded six others, including responding law enforcement officers. Harris described how "a white supremacist used a weapon of war to murder 11 precious souls and wound many more at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood," calling it an "unspeakable act – fueled by antisemitic hate."
Today marks 6 years since the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, where a gunman opened fire on the congregation during Shabbat morning services and killed 11 people.
Last week, someone stole the synagogue's memorial plaque for the victims in an act of hate.
Tree of Life's Rabbi… pic.twitter.com/3beM7tgMDu
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) October 27, 2024
According to the White House release, she emphasized her longstanding commitment to fighting antisemitism, stating, "This work is not new for me. I have spent my entire career fighting antisemitism." Harris continued, "Since the beginning of our administration, we have secured record funding for the physical security of nonprofits and faith-based institutions around the country, including synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, and Jewish day schools." She highlighted the groundbreaking this summer of "the nation's first museum and education center on the history of antisemitism in America" at the synagogue site.
"It shattered families, pierced the heart of the Jewish community, and struck the soul of our nation," Biden said in his statement. The president noted that this year's anniversary falls close to the first anniversary of the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. He emphasized that the trauma from both events is "not only raw but exacerbated by the appalling surge of antisemitism against Jews in America and around the world."
On combatting antisemitism, Biden quoted the Talmudic saying "It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it." Both leaders outlined their administration's efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses and enhance gun control measures.
