In Response to the Tragic Shooting in Pittsburgh

In Response to the Tragic Shooting in Pittsburgh

Our heartfelt sympathies are with those affected by this morning's tragic shooting in Pittsburgh.  We stand with our fellow Jews whose Shabbat morning prayers were violated and whose Shabbat peace and joy were shattered.  If you or someone in your family has a connection to the Tree of Life congregation, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of the clergy. 

We stand against violence.  The hateful rhetoric that motivates an individual to violence must end.  When disagreements arise, we must engage in civil discourse that honors the sanctity of all lives. Judaism mandates that we pursue justice and peace.   But we are aware that we live in difficult times and violence is unfortunately a reality.

The safety and security of our congregants has been and continues to be our first priority.  As such, we are working closely with the Sands Point police and will have increased police presence for the foreseeable future. All temple activities including Religious school and ECC will proceed as regularly scheduled. Additionally, our senior leadership, police and security experts will meet this week to evaluate and revisit our current procedures and make any changes deemed necessary.  Please understand that it is never prudent to share details about security plans with more than those directly involved in their implementation.  To do so undermines their effectiveness. 

Any changes to our current procedures will be shared in the coming days.  In the meantime, we encourage everyone to be vigilant and to be supportive of the current procedures we have in place.  As always, we welcome your input and are here to listen. 

In a place where there are no humans, one must strive to be human. ~Hillel

Irwin Zeplowitz, Rabbi
Sam Pollak, Rabbi 
Claire Franco, Cantor
Deena Katz, President
Jeff Rembrandt, Executive Director
Shari Isserles, Director of Education
Susan Flanagan-Herman, Director of The Early Childhood Center