A response to the Pittsburgh Tragedy

A response to the Pittsburgh Tragedy We are heartbroken by the tragic and senseless violence that unfolded this past Shabbat morning at the Tree of Life (L’Simcha) Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. To the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, we are grieving with you. We know your community will come together to honor those who lost their lives and suffered injuries. When I saw the name of the Congregation it brought to mind a prayer from the Union Prayer Book on returning the Torah to the Ark on Rosh Hashanah morning; “It is a tree of life to them who hold fast to it. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. Turn Thou us unto Thee, O Lord, and we shall be restored; renew our days of old.” As a genealogist, when I thought further about the name of the Congregation, Tree of Life (L'Simcah) Synagogue. Building my family tree and learning my family’s history, I understand and more fully appreciate my heritage. It is most certainly my Tree of Life.