PITTSBURGH — Students and staff members at the Community Day School in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood came together to remember the victims and survivors of Saturday's Tree of Life Synagogue shooting.
PHOTOS: Students come together to remember victims and survivors of synagogue shooting
The eighth-grade students at the school organized the event on their own.
It was a moving beautiful vigil and memorial service for the victims of the tragedy who they personally knew.
They organized the special service to show they will never forget the 11 people killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue.
The Jewish students went to the synagogue Wednesday.
RELATED: 'We will be back even stronger' Tree of Life rabbi reflects on synagogue shooting
On Tuesday morning, they read each victim's name out loud, lit candles and placed white roses near the Holocaust sculpture outside the school.
Students stressed that the hateful anti-Semitic attack will not hurt their community or break their faith. They feel stronger and more united than ever before.
Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers also attended and thanked the students for their support.
“When I came this morning, I didn’t have any strength," Myers said. "You have given me the strength to get through today, and for that I thank you."
“We should not come home scared and we should not practice our religion in fear. We cannot stand for this,” one of the students said.
The students said bravery is in each of us and they can only retaliate by making this a better place.
RELATED:
- LIVE UPDATES: UPMC gives update on patient conditions
- What we know about victims killed at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh
- Timeline of events at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh
- Penguins will hold collection before Tuesday's game for shooting victims' families
- What we know about officers injured in synagogue shooting
- Pope Francis grieves for Jewish victims in Pittsburgh
- How to help victims of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
- "I was just breaking down, I couldn't hold it." Worker inside synagogue recounts shooting
- What we know about Robert Bowers, suspect in mass shooting at Pittsburgh synagogue
- Neighbor says Pittsburgh synagogue shooting suspect kept to himself
- Mayor asks Trump to postpone Pittsburgh visit
- Condolences from Pittsburgh politicians, sports teams, officials nationwide
- Download the WPXI News App for continuing coverage of this breaking story
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/WVVB4CJSSFHTHC275F4OJHSIGI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/YPZHBLYOKJCYZC4ZOHFKJK3NN4.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/AU37L7EI5FFN3NSO7AK6Y2SJ6M.png)
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/04-24-2024/t_86f539c1ea764201a4839c265bde5024_name_turkscaicosdetain042424_frame_989.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/HOFEPYPOPRA7ZMQTPGOOI6DO6Y.jpeg)