In the days following the Tree of Life synagogue attack here in Pittsburgh, we are all grieving and responding to the tragedy in our own ways. Some donate blood or funds to help families and friends. Others gather for vigils and events to express solidarity, and some focus on political action. Many mourn privately or help make the world a better place by small acts of kindness, every day. Here at the Heinz History Center, many of us have asked, “what can we do to help?”
In discussing this question with members of the Jewish community, cultural and civic leaders, a recurring answer seems to be, “do what you do best—help others remember the past, learn from it, and remind us of the things that we value most.”
Following this wise counsel, we wanted to share with you some ways we are helping, and how you can help too:
- The History Center has reached out to Pittsburgh’s Jewish community collectively and individually to offer condolences and support and to show solidarity against intolerance and the violence it spawns.
- Following the lead of our Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives committee and the program’s director, Eric Lidji, we are attending services and public gatherings, collecting the stories of the victims of the tragedy and its aftermath, and designing programs that will help people, now and in the future, understand what occurred and how we can learn to survive in a world in which antisemitism still exists, and create a future in which it can someday be eradicated.
- The History Center has developed new Caring for Community tours that focus on the Pittsburgh Jewish community’s tradition of providing care for others, as a measure of healing. Several of these tours are scheduled for the coming week and more will be added to the calendar going forward. The team is also working on a version of this tour that will be offered to school groups.
- We are creating and installing a Community Response Wall in our first floor Great Hall, where visitors can leave their thoughts, condolences, and messages of support to the Pittsburgh community.
- Finally, the Heinz History Center’s Detre Library & Archives staff has created a special web page to collect and preserve the social media, photos, websites, blogs, and more that are being created in response to the tragedy. Please visit this page to learn more about how you can contribute to these collecting efforts.
Our mission here at the History Center is to present the lessons of the past in ways that will help people make better decisions in the present and plans for the future. This mission is more relevant today than ever before. As Pittsburgh’s oldest cultural institution, Pennsylvania’s largest history museum, and one of the Smithsonian’s most trusted affiliates, our hope is to fulfill that mission and our promise to the people of Pittsburgh to help make our world a better place.
Thank you for your continuing support of the Heinz History Center and for being the kind of neighbor that makes Pittsburgh such a special place.
