Cleveland To Hold Vigil For Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre Victims

BEACHWOOD, OH — The Greater Cleveland community is invited to band together at a vigil for the victims of the mass shooting at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. The event will be held Monday, October 29 at 5 p.m. in the Mandel Jewish Community Center's Stonehill Auditorium.

The event is being organized by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The vigil is open to the entire community, the JFC said. The vigil will last approximately 45 minutes. Notably, no large bags will be allowed at the vigil.

There is limited parking for the event, so additional parking will be offered at the Fuchs Mizrachi School and The Temple-Tifereth Israel. A bus shuttle will run attendees between those lots and the Mandel Jewish Community Center.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland issued a statement on Saturday's attack, saying organization leaders have been in contact with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and local police departments. There are currently no known threats to the Cleveland Jewish community.

"That said, we are increasing our efforts throughout the community to help keep Jewish Clevelanders secure. Furthermore, we encourage community members to remain vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity immediately to local law enforcement," the JFC said in a statement on Sunday night.

At least eleven people were killed when a lone gunman burst into The Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday and opened fire. The suspect in the attack is Robert Bowers. He was reportedly armed with an AR-15 and three Glock handguns.

The massacre, likely the deadliest assault on the Jewish community in American history, rocked the diverse Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pitssburgh and led alarmed religious leaders to express "grave concern" for the country's Jewish population.

Here is the rest of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland's statement on Saturday's attack:

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland is heartbroken by the anti-Semitic act of violence that took place at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA on October 27, 2018. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who are suffering in the Jewish community and throughout the entire City of Pittsburgh. May the memories of those who lost their lives be for a blessing.

Jewish Cleveland stands united with our neighbors in Pittsburgh. Hate speech and hate-fueled violence against any community have no place in our America. We sincerely thank the first responders who arrived on the scene for their bravery and service.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

Lead image caption: Men greet each other outside the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall before a service to honor and mourn the victims of Saturday's mass shooting at the Tree Of Life Synagogue on October 28, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eleven people were killed and six more were wounded in the mass shooting that police say was fueled by antisemitism. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)