[H]undreds of people packed Burlington’s City Hall to mourn, pray and sing together Tuesday night following the horrific shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh over the weekend, believed to be the deadliest attack on Jews in United States history.
The emotional interfaith gathering featured speeches and readings from local religious and political leaders, with many reflecting on the importance of community following tragedies. Area rabbis led the crown in singing of several songs.
A gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood on Saturday. The names of the 11 victims were read at the event, and candles were lit in their honor.
Sharon Lifshutz, the assistant director of UVM Hillel, said her heart was broken by the tragedy but that she was leaning on her faith to make it through the pain.
“I believe that each of you, we, can be a light in this darkness,” she said.
Former Gov. Madeleine Kunin, who is Jewish, spoke at the event and said she wondered if she was safe after the shooting, but was comforted by the large crowd.
“Looking at all of you, I think you make all of us who are Jewish or whatever religion we are, safe,” she said. “I’m reminded of JFK’s word’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner,’ and I think you are all Jews at this gathering.”
Rabbi Amy Small of Ohavi Zedek, Rabbi Jan Salzman of Ruach HaMaqom and Rabbi David Edleson of Temple Sinai led the singing and delivered speeches at the event.
Small read a statement from HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, whose work the shooter mentioned as a reason for the massacre. Small said the tragedy would inspire her and others to redouble their efforts to work with HIAS on refugee resettlement moving forward.
Representatives of the Muslim and Christian communities also spoke at the event. Iman Abd’Llah Al-Ansari of the Islamic Society of Vermont read two passages from the Quran that stressed the importance of judging people by the content of their character and the need to confront evil with good.
Earl Kooperkamp, an Episcopal pastor and the president of Vermont Interfaith Action, said the gathering represented a vision to continue to love as God loves.
“Even though our hearts are broken this evening, our hearts by God’s providence are called to love deeper, stronger and longer than the hatred of anti-semitism, than white supremacy, more than Christo-fascist nationalism,” Kooperkamp said.
Kunin was one of many political leaders to speak, joined by Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, Police Chief Brandon del Pozo and Karen Paul, a city councilor.
Weinberger said that the crowd was one of the largest he had seen in City Hall’s Contois Auditorium, the building’s main meeting space. He said the combination of weak gun laws and rising anti-semitism contributed to the Pittsburgh shooting.
“With the Pittsburgh shooting, the Jewish community has become the latest in a long line of victims of those flawed gun policies,” he said.
Zuckerman said that people with privilege need to use it to speak out for and protect those without it.
“We need to bring reason to hate, we need to bring love to pain, and we need to bring peace to hostility,” he said.
UVM student Alexis Cady, who is from Squirrel Hill, said she hoped no other cities would have to say the cliche of “I never thought this would happen near me” that often follows mass shootings.
Cady said people everywhere need to fight against the forces of racism, bigotry and violence.
“Pittsburgh feels your support, but do not let it stop tonight,” she said. “Support your own communities, confront these problems and help with the solution.”