BEACHWOOD, Ohio — The October 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh sent shockwaves across the country. An armed gunman opened fire, killing 11 worshippers in the deadliest attack on Jewish people in U.S. history. Within hours, well wishes were flooding in from across the country, and the world soon followed with physical shows of support.
"I mean people created objects, they created quilts, they made drawings, water colors, collages," said Will Pearce of the Maltz Museum. "They sent in letters, it was just an outpouring."
In all, there were more than 10,000 items left outside the synagogue or mailed to the congregation. Efforts were made to preserve these symbols of kindness and hope left in the aftermath of such heartbreak. Recently, a few of them were handpicked by family members and survivors to be part of a travelling installation that opens Wednesday at the Maltz Museum in Beachwood titled "Lessons from the Tree of Life: Lighting the Path Forward.
“This is an essential story to share with our community, especially as antisemitism and intolerance are on the rise in America,” said Aaron Petersal, executive director of the Maltz Museum. “This installation shares the 10/27 attack’s impact, yet focuses on the incredible outpouring of support to the community. It’s an important reminder of the power of compassion and unity in promoting healing and rebuilding in the face of unimaginable tragedy. The Lessons from The Tree of Life is truly a story of resilience, and what humanity can do to support each other and rise above hate.”
"This is not just a story about hate, it's also a story about humanity," said Curator Scott Miller.
Humanity that came in many forms, some from Northeast Ohio, like a collage created by a group of school kids 128 miles away at Trinity United Church in Wooster or a handwritten note of solidarity from the Jewish community of Akron. They are part of the installation that is making Beachwood its first stop outside of Pittsburgh. There's also a prayer book with bullet holes from the attack that day and the exploration of the history of anti-Semitism in America.
It's a message Miller felt needed to be shared now.
"In Pittsburgh we're in the process of building a memorial and a museum but that takes a few years and we felt the story had to sort of be out there earlier in the form of an exhibit," he said.
The exhibit opens on Wednesday at the Maltz and runs through Aug. 3. Miller will be in town Wednesday to participate in two discussions on the exhibit and its impact at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at maltzmuseum.org.
