Members of B.C.’s Jewish community joined the global call to #ShowUpForShabbat on Saturday, paying their respects to the victims of last week’s massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
“I think there is something inherent about the religion that is about being with other people and caring for other people,” a woman attending Shabbt at Or Shalom in East Vancouver told Global News.
One week after the tragedy, a resilient community gathered on the sidewalk outside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh for a Shabat unlike any other.
They were joined in solidarity at Shabbats in major cities around the world, including New York City, Toronto and across B.C, where there’s still shock, but not disbelief.
WATCH: People of all faiths gather to form ‘Circles of Peace’ around Jewish Synagogues
“It’s been increasingly scary and uncomfortable to have prejudice and hate not buried at all—just coming out in horrible ways,” a worshiper named Nancy said as she made her way inside Or Shalom.
By Friday the last of the eleven innocent victims from last Saturday’s shooting in the quiet Pittsburgh neighbourhood of Squirrel Hill had been laid to rest. But what remains is the feeling a sacred place of worship has been violated.
“To have that shattered is more than just physically violent, it’s very spiritually violent, it’s emotionally violent,” said another attendee who gave her name as Mia.
“It is something that really feels shattered and that is true no matter what denomination you have.”
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