Biden marks anniversary of Pittsburgh synagogue attack that killed 11
PITTSBURGH– President joe biden marked the sixth anniversary of one on saturday deadly attack by the gunman about a synagogue in Pittsburgh and spoke of what he called a “terrible wave of anti-Semitism” during the war in Gaza.
The 2018 attack claimed the lives of 11 worshipers from the Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life congregations, who shared space at the synagogue in Squirrel Hill, the heart of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community. Two worshipers and five responding police officers were also injured in the attack, the deadliest act anti-Semitism in the US history.
Biden said in a statement that the attack “shattered families, pierced the heart of the Jewish community and struck the soul of our nation.” But he said that in the years since, the Jewish community has also “shown the country how pain can be courageously turned into purpose” and “launched a global initiative to counter hate and hatred.” hate-fueled violence.”
Biden noted that the memory of the Pittsburgh synagogue attack comes weeks after the attack anniversary of the October 7 attack in Israel “during which Hamas killed more than 1,200 people, took another 250 hostage and committed horrific sexual crimes.”
He said the trauma and losses of October 7 are compounded by “the terrible wave of anti-Semitism against Jews in America and all over the world.”
The attack sparked a war between Israel and the militant group Hamas and resulted in widespread destruction and civilian deaths in Gaza.
Biden said his administration was implementing a national strategy to counter anti-Semitism, including securing $1.2 billion for security at nonprofits such as synagogues, Jewish community centers and day schools. He also referred to the Justice Department’s investigation and prosecution of anti-Semitic hate crimes, saying his administration had “notified colleges that anti-Semitism is discrimination” and was prohibited under civil rights protection laws.
Vice President Kamala Harris also cited a rise in anti-Semitism in a statement marking the anniversary of the Pittsburgh attack.
“I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish people in the United States and around the world, and I will always denounce anti-Semitism wherever and whenever we see it,” she said.
The Pittsburgh attacker was sentenced to death last year after being convicted of 63 charges, including hate crimes resulting in death.
In June, ground was broken for a new complex on the Pittsburgh site that will include a cultural center, shrine, educational center and museum, along with a memorial to slain worshipers from three congregations.