Project will reimagine the site of the worst anti-Semitic attack on U.S. soil
Pittsburgh, PA − December 6, 2021 − Governor Tom Wolf visited the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh today to announce $6.6 million in state funding to support the rebuilding and reimagining of the synagogue. The governor was joined by Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and members of the Tree of Life’s REMEMBER. REBUILD. RENEW campaign which will transform the site of the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history into a new place of hope, remembrance, and education.
“Following the tragedy that occurred here, Pennsylvanians came together in solidarity to support the Tree of Life and the other congregations,” said Gov. Wolf. “We continue to stand with you today as the Tree of Life community works to reimagine this space into a welcoming place of reflection, education, and healing.
“I am proud to join you by providing this state funding to the Tree of Life’s efforts to remember and rebuild here and create a place for residents and visitors from around the world to reflect, learn, and grow.”
The state funding was provided through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), which supports community, economic development, and revitalization projects throughout Pennsylvania.
“We are tremendously thankful to Governor Wolf for this significant and generous investment in our effort to establish a new and reimagined space that serves not only our congregation but all of Tree of Life’s neighbors and the broader community,” said Rabbi Jeffrey Myers. “Our campaign and the grant that comes in support of it provide an opportunity to collectively renew our resolve to fight antisemitism and bigotry of all kinds, as we continue our journey of healing.”
The project will create spaces for worship and education as well as to commemorate those who lost their lives in the tragedy. A new home for exhibitions and public programs of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh will be included.
”Tree of Life has been near and dear to me for many years – since I grew up just a few blocks away, to representing Squirrel Hill in the state senate, to grieving with this community in the past years,” said Sen. Costa. “Its history is long, but so is its future and I’m honored to be even just a small part of the REMEMBER.REBUID.RENEW project.”
“For decades, this special place has housed joyous and important life events and enriched the spiritual and cultural lives of countless families,” said Representative Dan Frankel. “With state funding, along with the vision and hard work of community members, we can help restore the Tree of Life building to its work as a spiritual home alongside of its new and crucial role as a witness to history.”
Eleven people were killed and seven were wounded in the antisemitic attack at the Tree of Life on Oct. 27, 2018.
In 2019, Gov. Wolf honored the victims during a trip to Lithuania and Poland. The governor carried a mezuzah from inside the synagogue with him as he visited Paneriai and Auschwitz-Birkenau, two prominentt locations of atrocities against the Jewish people during the Holocaust.
The governor also wrote the names of the 11 victims in the guestbooks at both locations with the intent of memorializing them in perpetuity. Following the trip the governor returned the mezuzah to Rabbi Myers.
Pittsburgh, Pa. − December 3, 2021 − Senator Jay Costa and Representative Dan Frankel today announced the award of $6.6 million in state grant funding for the rebuilding project at the Tree of Life in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh.
The project will transform the site of the worst anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history into a new place of hope, remembrance, and education.
“Rebuilding after this attack means so many things,” said Senator Costa. “This project is for a reimagined space that is healing and welcoming – an honor to the memory of those we lost, and a haven for many years to come. I was proud to support this funding, but also additional resources we allocated this fall from other programs.”
Representative Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) thanked the governor for supporting the vision of the many devoted Pittsburghers who have worked to created a memorial that can uplift our community and contribute to a more peaceful future.
“After the attack on the congregations in the Tree of Life building three years ago, many noted that our community had joined a club that nobody wants to be in: those devastated by hate-driven violence. This funding allows the site of that trauma to become something more — a place of remembrance, healing and education for all.”
“I am pleased to announce these projects will receive the state funding they need to improve or create new community projects and facilities that add to the quality of life for residents in these communities,” Governor Wolf said.
Supported through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), the funding for a multitude of projects statewide will support critical expansion projects, providing opportunities for additional employment training, job creation and community services.
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Pittsburgh, Pa. − December 1, 2021 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of nearly $3.5 million for school safety and violence prevention grants in Allegheny County.
“Community organizations are the lifeblood of our region, and they know best the needs we face,” said Senator Costa. “Today’s grants, though they come from the state, will go to organizations and projects that have their finger on the pulse of our community and know best how to face our challenges. I truly believe these awards will prevent acts of gun violence from again striking close to home.”
Today’s grants come from the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Grant Program, a top priority of Pennsylvania Senate Democrats, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).
The following organizations in Allegheny County will receive grant funding:
- 1Hood Media Academy – $350,000 for a new gun violence prevention campaign to train youth and young adults as media activists with the skills to conduct violence prevention campaigns in their own communities.
- Allegheny County – $1,496,000 to implement and expand the Cure Violence program in communities most impacted by gun violence.
- Carnegie Library of Homestead – $346,820 to support the Youth Development and Restorative Justice Program, where trained counselors and program coordinators mentor at-risk youth to develop conflict-resolution skills to reduce violent crime amongst teens in the community.
- Homewood Community Sports – $50,000 for community sports, mentoring and enrichment to deter youth from gun or group violence.
- Neighborhood Resilience Project – $500,000 to support and expand the Trauma Response Team, which cares for the acute needs of family and friends of homicide victims of gun violence.
- The Kingsley Association – $700,000 to support expansion of its Teen LEAD program – a year-long learning experience for at-risk teens ages 13-19 in East End communities of Pittsburgh to help them to apply life skills learning, build a positive self-image, recognize personal leadership characteristics, and gain part-time employment.
PCCD received 340 unique applications requesting just under $170 million in funding – and these groups are primarily small organizations with honorable missions but small budgets.
- 10 of the awards are going to groups with annual budgets of $25,000 or less;
- 7 of the awards are going to groups with annual budgets of more than $25,000 but less than $75,000;
- 8 of the awards are going to groups with annual budgets of more than $75,000 but less than $250,000;
- 12 of the awards are going to groups with annual budgets of more than $1 million;
- 3 of the awards are going to umbrella organizations on behalf of organizations.
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Pittsburgh, Pa. − November 19, 2021 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of more than $1.5 million for projects in the 43rd senatorial district.
“Pennsylvania passed its own infrastructure bill in 2013 with the goal of funding every mode of transportation in the years to come; I’m proud to say it’s done so and that I’ve been able to advocate for projects in our community,” said Senator Costa. “While there are many valuable projects and I wish we could fund all of them, I’m very pleased with those that won awards today – particularly the REMEMBER.REBUILD.RENEW. project for Tree of Life.”
REMEMBER. REBUILD. RENEW., is a comprehensive effort to support the Tree of Life Congregation in creating a safe and sacred space that welcomes all with hope for generations to come.
Awards for the district today are supported by the Multimodal Transportation Fund and Act 13’s Greenways, Trails & Recreation Program.
Greenways, Trails & Recreation Program grants include:
- $75,000 for the Verona Borough Park Improvements and Upgrades
- $75,000 for the Eastmont Park Court Rehabilitation Project
Multimodal Transportation Fund grants are coming to the 43rd district for:
- $143,312 for the 1009 Wood Street Development
- $153,125 for the Churchill Valley Greenway Bridge and Trail Restoration
- $300,000 for Raymond Bodnar Way Improvements
- $150,000 for Oakmont Borough’s Core Business District Streetlight Improvement Program
- $250,000 for the Whitney Avenue Transportation improvements
- $250,000 for a sewer rehabilitation project on Ardmore Boulevard
- And $200,000 for the Tree of Life’s REMEMBER REBUILD RENEW
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Harrisburg, Pa. – November 19, 2021 − In direct opposition to a statement made three weeks ago, Pennsylvania Senate Republicans have hired a third-party firm to conduct its sham election investigation.
In an October 20 article in Penn Capital Star, Senate Republicans made the following statement:
“Contracting with the Legislature is a unique circumstance, but the procedure we are following is consistent with every other contract the Senate engages in,” Jason Thompson, a spokesperson for Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, wrote in an email to the Capital-Star. “We are dedicated to finding the right vendor to do the job efficiently and effectively.”
Although a contract with a vendor won’t happen until the court proceedings end, negotiations are ongoing, Thompson confirmed.
The case will be heard on December 15th and a decision will be rendered at that time on the legality of conducting such an investigation at all. Additionally, the Democratic members of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations were prohibited from participating in the selection of the firm.
“This is a bad faith action by the Senate Republican Caucus,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa. “They agreed to wait, and then went ahead with hiring their own firm to carry out this political, unnecessary and costly witch hunt. They’ve unilaterally and prematurely acted to spend more than $250,000 in taxpayer money for this.”
“Furthermore, I find it particularly troubling that they are fast-tracking this Trumpian sideshow the same week that the leader of their caucus announces his gubernatorial ambitions,” Senator Costa continued. “This is not good government; it is bad politics.”
The firm hired by the Republicans, Envoy Sage, will be paid from caucus funds – not institutional dollars, further showing the partisan nature of this “investigation.”
The Senate Democrats intend to take every legal action possible to prevent the unsafe and insecure release of voter records.
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Remembering the Victims of the Tree of Life Shooting
October 27 marks three years since the Tree of Life mass shooting. On this day, 11 worshippers were murdered at the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. This anti-Semitic hate crime happened just a few blocks from where I grew up. Squirrel Hill is a peaceful, welcoming community full of wonderful people.
These are the people who died that day:
Joyce Fienberg, 75, of Oakland
Richard Gottfried, 65, of Ross Township
Rose Mallinger, 97, of Squirrel Hill
Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, of Edgewood
Cecil Rosenthal, 59, of Squirrel Hill (brother of David Rosenthal)
David Rosenthal, 54, of Squirrel Hill (brother of Cecil Rosenthal)
Bernice Simon, 84, of Wilkinsburg (married to Sylvan Simon)
Sylvan Simon, 87, of Wilkinsburg (married to Bernice Simon)
Daniel Stein, 71, of Squirrel Hill
Melvin Wax, 87, of Squirrel Hill
Irving Younger, 69, of Mt. Washington
