Student Rabbi Jonathan Falco stood at the sanctuary bimah and read the names of the 11 Pittsburgh dead, then invited the congregation to rise for El Ma’alei Racham’im, the prayer for the souls of the departed.
“The victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue were robbed of their opportunity to fulfill the commandment to keep and remember and celebrate the Sabbath. Tonight, we move forward with doing just that — continuing our Shabbat service and celebrating in their memory,” Jonathan said.
Some 100 people attended Shabbat services Friday, Nov. 2, at United Hebrew Congregation’s historic Temple Israel, six days after the fatal attack on Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.