Dear friends,
One week ago today, a white nationalist gunman walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue and murdered 11 Jewish worshipers in Pittsburgh, my home.
One week later, as our Greater Pittsburgh area sangat continues to mourn this tragedy, we stand in undeterred solidarity with interfaith communities across our nation in denouncing this unconscionable act of violence and domestic terrorism.
I remember where I was on August 5, 2012 when I learned that a gunman with white supremacist ties had entered a gurdwara (a Sikh house of worship) in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and murdered 6, injuring several more.
I will never forget the unbearable grief as we all worked to find local ways to support our Sikh brothers and sisters in Wisconsin. In that darkness, many of us found hope and strength in the love, support and acts of kindness that we received from Americans nationwide. The Rodef Shalom Congregation in Pittsburgh was just one of the many houses of worship that invited us to participate in their service while we prayed for the peace of the Wisconsin victims.
Today, join us in sending messages of love to the Tree of Life Synagogue.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Please join us in sending a direct message of solidarity, love and support to the Tree of Life Synagogue. These messages will be delivered to the Jewish community by the Greater Pittsburgh area sangat.
- Show your support and solidarity for your Jewish neighbors by taking action in your hometown.
- Forward this post to your friends and family and ask them to join us in support.
As a Sikh father who calls Pittsburgh home, I pray that no community should ever endure this type of tragedy again. From Oak Creek to Charleston and now my hometown, I remain empowered by my faith, knowing we must continue to share the message that religious freedom and diversity remains our nation’s greatest strength.
Chardi Kala,
Chitratan Singh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania