Memorial lighting in Melbourne marks anniversary
Eleven candles were lit at Hamerkaz Shelanu Synagogue in Elsternwick in honour of the victims of the Tree of Life shooting last year.
MARKING the first year anniversary of the Tree of Life shooting, 11 candles were lit in honour of the victims at Hamerkaz Shelanu Synagogue in Elsternwick by the shule’s Rabbi Motty Liberow, State Member for Caulfield David Southwick and chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission Dvir Abramovich.
“Today, through this act of solidarity, we mourn and remember the 11 Jewish lives cut short in the Tree of Life synagogue building in Pittsburgh, and pledge to always fight the darkness of antisemitism with the light of hope, love and humanity,” they said.
“In the midst of this moment of profound sadness and pain, we pledge to never cower or run away, and to channel our grief into real action so as to drive out the evil of hatred that threatens every person in our nation.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder in a synagogue, in the very same house of worship where the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history occurred, with our hearts shattered, to honour our brothers and sisters: Richard Gottfried, 65; Joyce Fienberg, 75; Rose Malinger, 97; Jerry Rabinowitz, 66; Cecil Rosenthal, 59; David Rosenthal, 54; Bernice Simon, 84; Sylvan Simon, 86; Daniel Stein, 71; Melvin Wax, 88; and Irving Younger, 69.
“May their memory be for a blessing.”
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