There are moments when the strength of a community is most evident not in what we say, but in how we show up for one another. This week offered two powerful reminders of just how much we need each other, and how much stronger we are when we come together.
On Tuesday, our Pittsburgh community gathered to commemorate the October 27, 2018 synagogue attack and to honor the memory of the 11 lives we lost on that horrific day. As has been the case at every commemoration, people came together seeking comfort and healing. In doing so, they demonstrated once again the extraordinary resilience of a community that continues to find ways to support one another, remember, and move forward together.
In her remarks, Maggie Feinstein, Director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, spoke about the importance of the quiet acts of service and connection that, often unseen and uncelebrated, contribute to the betterment of our community. It is a meaningful reminder that strengthening community does not always require grand gestures. It happens in the everyday moments when we reach out, lend a hand, listen, show compassion, and make sure others know they are not alone.
On Wednesday evening, I had the opportunity to attend a conversation with Admiral Rachel Levine, hosted by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, on the topic of Public Health in Turbulent Times. Throughout the discussion, those in attendance acknowledged that one of the greatest risks to public health today is the growing inability to rely upon health information coming from once trustworthy sources. It is a sobering challenge, particularly at a time when reliable information and public trust are so essential to our collective well-being.
Yet, despite the many challenges facing our public health system and our broader society, Admiral Levine returned to themes that felt remarkably consistent with the message I heard the night before: We need each other. The spirit of community is what we need now more than ever. We are stronger together.
She emphasized that trust is often strongest at the local community level and that we must harness that trust to drive larger-scale change. By working together, building relationships, and bringing our collective resources and voices to the table, we can maximize our impact in ways that none of us could accomplish alone.
Whether we are responding to unimaginable tragedy, navigating a public health crisis, or confronting the many divisions and uncertainties in our world, the answer is rarely found in going it alone. It is found in community. It is found in our willingness to care for one another, to remain connected even when we disagree, and to recognize that each of us has a role to play in creating something stronger than any individual could build alone.
As we remember the 11 beautiful souls taken from us eight years ago – Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Dan Stein, Irving Younger and Melvin Wax – may we continue to find strength in one another, recognize the difference we can make through even the quietest acts of kindness, and never lose sight of the fact that we are, indeed, stronger together.
Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom,
Jason