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Time capsule unearthed giving peek into Tree of Life congregation from 1906

PITTSBURGH — Some old newspapers, a membership registry, various church documents and even a Heinz pickle pin were among the items found inside a time capsule opened Monday at what used to be the Pittsburgh Playhouse in Oakland.

The capsule was put inside the building's cornerstone back in 1906 when the Tree of Life congregation worshipped there. The current synagogue was erected in 1953.

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Experts from the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives at the Heinz History Center will document and examine the objects, according to a press release.

The old building was being demolished by a company owned by a member of the Tree of Life congregation. They told Channel 11 the work was carried out around the cornerstone until it could be opened.

For more of what was found inside the time capsule, watch the video below:

Officials said the cornerstone could be incorporated into a newly rebuilt or renovated Tree of Life synagogue but it will not be relocated until a proper storage location can be found.

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