Kol HaTnua - Voice of the Movement Reflections from a Pittsburgh Young Judaean: Eitan Weinkle
My name is Eitan Weinkle and I am a proud Judean, Pittsburgher, and above all else, a proud Jew. When I woke up on October 27, I had no idea that the deadliest attack against the Jewish people to ever take place in the United States was about to occur just blocks from my home. The Squirrel Hill neighborhood is an incredibly vibrant and tightly knit community and the home to Pittsburgh’s biggest Jewish community.
No one foresaw Saturday’s tragedy, which took place right in the heart of our Jewish community. This shooting has impacted every single person I know, Jews and non-Jews alike, whether they knew a victim personally or not at all. We lost eleven incredible, kind, loving souls who will leave a gaping hole in our community. As we grieve this terrible tragedy, we must remember to stay united. It is times like these where we must not recede into the shadows and hide our Judaism, but show the whole world that we are proud to be Jewish. The Jewish community is the strongest group of people I know and if we stand together we will make it through this difficult time. The entire city of Pittsburgh is extremely grateful for the incredible unity and support shown from Jews and non-Jews across the globe. We would not be able to move forward without the overwhelming support for which we are incredibly grateful. We ask you to continue to stand with us and remind the world: A City of Steel cannot be broken.
~ Eitan Weinkle is an 11th grader from Pittsburgh and is the Social Action Program for the Midwest region of Young Judaea