Jewish Federation To Sponsor Vigil On Thursday, November 1 For Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Victims 

Vigil To Be Followed by Security Workshop

VINELAND, NJ—A vigil for the victims of the recent horrible mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA will take place this Thursday, November 1, starting at 6:30 p.m., at Beth Israel Congregation, 1015 E. Park Ave., Vineland.

The vigil “in memory of our victims,” free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem Counties. It will include participation by area Jewish clergy and leaders from the area Jewish community

Speakers at the vigil will include Rabbi Bradley Bleefeld, of Temple Beth Hillel/Beth Abraham in Carmel, NJ; Rabbi Yisroel Rapoport, of Sons of Jacob Congregation in Vineland, NJ; Terry Kuhnreich, teacher of the Search for Conscience class at Vineland High School; and Ken Larter, of Christians United for Israel. Melodies will be offered by Cantor Marlena Taenzer, of Temple Beth Hillel/Beth Abraham.

Following the vigil, a workshop will take place from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. to discuss security needs at our houses of worship and other religious institutions. It will be conducted by the Vineland Police Department and the New Jersey State Police.

The master of ceremonies for the evening will be M. Jay Einstein, President of the Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem Counties.

“This unspeakable incident of mass murder at one of one of our nation’s synagogues—on what should have been a day of rest and peace—should make all of us pause, honor, and mourn the dead, and pray that nothing like this ever happens again,” Einstein said. “We cannot tolerate hatred, bigotry, racism, or intolerance of any kind. When it is an overt act of anti-Semitism, especially, it strikes at the core of who we are as a people.”

Part of being vigilant, he added, is knowing what we can do to protect ourselves in the future.

“The reality now is that we need to take extra precautions in our day and age to make sure our houses of worship are protected so they can be free of violence and can remain spaces of peace and tranquility. That is what the workshop that follows the vigil will accomplish.”

For more information on this and other Federation events and programs, please call the office of the Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem at 856-696-4445.