October 28, 2018

For Immediate Release Contact:
davidsschapira@gmail.com
Phone: 602-697-9415

Arizona Jewish and interfaith organizations and leaders join allies for vigil honoring victims and condemning violence in Pittsburgh

PHOENIX – Three days after 11 people were murdered during services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, members of the Jewish community of Arizona and interfaith allies will come together for a vigil Tuesday, October 30, at 7pm at the Cutler✡Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center at 122 East Culver Street in Phoenix.

The vigil organized by former State Senator and Tempe Councilmember David Schapira is co-hosted by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of Arizona, the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, Valley Interfaith Project, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society and Arizona Jews for Justice. Jewish Arizonans and allies are invited to pay respect to the victims of the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history.

Many of the organizations and individuals participating in Tuesday’s vigil rallied together just 14 months ago to honor Heather Heyer and condemn the hateful violence in Charlottesville that took her life. Sadly, the tragedy of October 27, 2018 in Pittsburgh requires the community to come together once again to demonstrate that Arizonans will stand against hate and violence. Never again can the people of this country or this state allow hate to become fashionable.

“We will come together Tuesday to honor those who lost their lives on Saturday and to condemn all acts of hateful violence,” said Schapira. “Our community will not stand idly by as anti-Semitism makes a resurgence in America.”

“Let us take comfort in one another, and then dedicate ourselves to the task of erasing hate from our nation,” said Carlos Galindo-Elvira, Regional Director of ADL Arizona.

“The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix stands with our brothers and sisters from the Jewish community of Pittsburgh during this tragic time,” said Marty Haberer, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. We are also so proud of law enforcement both in Pittsburgh and here in the Valley. They are truly heroic and we are grateful for them. Our prayers go out to the families who have suffered losses and injuries and to the injured officers as well.”

Keep up-to-date with details about the vigil at https://tinyurl.com/AZTreeOfLifeVigil.

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