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Funerals Begin For Pittsburgh Shooting Victims

People stand at a memorial for victims of Saturday's shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Brendan Smialowski AFP/Getty Images
People stand at a memorial for victims of Saturday's shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Funerals Begin For Pittsburgh Shooting Victims

Updated 12:30 p.m. ET

A large crowd of Jewish and non-Jewish mourners gathered Tuesday under a vaulted white ceiling, tall chandeliers and stained glass windows inside Pittsburgh's Rodef Shalom to honor Cecil and David Rosenthal. At 59 and 54, the brothers were two of the youngest victims and are among the first of the 11 victims of the shooting at Tree of Life synagogue to be laid to rest.

For many in Pittsburgh's Jewish community, Tuesday's funeral services start the formal period of mourning the victims — a process carefully guided by Jewish tradition. A separate service was held Tuesday for Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, a physician who also was killed on Saturday. Services for the rest of the victims will be held in coming days.

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Attendees speak about Cecil and David with similar affection. One man, describing their place in the community, referred to the pair fondly as "the boys." People say they were fixtures; inextricable from Squirrel Hill's — and Pittsburgh's — Jewish circles.

Among the faces at Rodef Shalom are Dan Frankel, the Democratic state Representative who lives in and represents Squirrel Hill. He's Jewish, and has been to a lot of weddings and bar mitzvahs at Tree of Life over the years.

People are somber, dressed in dark clothes, but it's also easy to see that this is a close, friendly community that has been suddenly thrown into a strange tragedy.

People who knew the Rosenthal brothers say they had intellectual disabilities and that they were well-loved by their congregation in one of Pittsburgh's Jewish neighborhoods, Squirrel Hill.

"I didn't know anybody that didn't know them. And they had a smile and a hug or a wave for everybody," said Sharon Ryave Brody, owner of the Ralph Schugar Chapel, a funeral home that serves mostly Jewish families in Pittsburgh.

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Ryave Brody deals with death every day, but this isn't normal.

"We don't deal with a tragedy like this every day, thank God, but it's our duty, and it's an honor to be called by my community to be of service," she said. "So we do whatever we need to do to help everybody get through this."

Rabbi Chuck Diamond, who once led the congregation at Tree of Life, said rabbis have been going to the morgue to be with the bodies in the days since the shooting.

"We're not supposed to leave the body alone, and we have people that come them and guard them and be with them, and while they're there they pray, they say sing psalms," he said. "So it's just a feeling that somebody shouldn't pass from this world by themselves."

Diamond said a ritual washing of the body is also part of the Jewish tradition to prepare for burial.

"That's what we call the great mitzvah, the great commandment, the great 'good thing' that we do," Diamond said. "It's a very difficult thing, too."

A burial traditionally takes place quickly in Judaism, ideally within a day or two, followed by a week of intense mourning.

"There's a real desire to return to a sense of routine or normalcy," said Rabbi Aaron Bisno, the senior rabbi at Rodef Shalom.

The ceremonies are an important part of the grieving process, said Rabbi Keren Gorban, of Temple Sinai in Pittsburgh.

"The physicality of a funeral and a burial is what makes it real, and so Jewish tradition is also very insistent on a burial happening," Gorban said. "The family is there when it happens, and friends and family help fill in the grave. And that's actually been some of the most powerful moments in funerals for most of the families that I've worked with over the years — actually putting the earth in the grave."

The timeline has been pushed back slightly because of the criminal investigation surrounding the shooting, but the process will begin Tuesday for the Rosenthals and their loved ones. The funeral director says there will be heavy security, and she's expecting an enormous crowd.

One of the people who will be there is Marcia Urum Kramer, who knew the brothers since they were children.

"And they were just — just so good ... always with a smile and caring," she said in an interview with NPR member station WESA. "Cecil and David have a special place in my heart."

During his time leading Tree of Life, Diamond said the two were always there — one out front, greeting everyone who came to worship.

"There's no question in my mind he was sitting in the back of the sanctuary, the chapel, at the time, greeting people at the time the gunman came in," Diamond said.

Services for the rest of the victims are being planned in the coming days, and Jewish leaders say there will be many months of mourning in Pittsburgh.

Copyright 2018 WITF. To see more, visit WITF.

Funerals Begin For Pittsburgh Shooting Victims
San Diegans Gather In Support Of Pittsburgh Shooting Victims GUEST: Tammy Gillies, regional director, Anti-Defamation League San Diego

Our top story on Midday edition. Another vigil is planned in San Diego tonight to remember the victims of Saturday's massacre at the tree of life synagogue. Several of the victims are being buried today in the city of Pittsburgh is in mourning. Mourners also assembled for a vigil last night at the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in University City. Attendees say thousands showed up to pay their respects and show solidarity with San Diego's Jewish community. Among those present included Mayor Kevin Faulkner. San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore is San Diego Police Chief David Innosight. Joining me is Tammy Gilly's regional director of the Anti Defamation League in San Diego and Tammy welcome to the program. Thank you. Can you describe last night's gathering for us what was the mood and the tone. Wow it's almost undescribable bucked but I think we hit a tone of being very somber and yet leaving with some hope. Could all the attendees fit in the synagogue. No actually we had well over 3000 people and there was overflow into the plaza and even beyond into the streets. Now Rabbi Michael Birx said that the attack on Pittsburgh is an attack on all of us. Is it your sense Tammy that the San Diego Jewish community feels threatened. Absolutely. You know the Jewish community in the United States is small and we all have a connection to each other and so when something happens even on the East Coast we absolutely feel it out here on the West Coast. And is that a palpable fear. Fear of being threatened or is it more caution. You know I think it comes from emotion and even on my way driving here I got a call from one of the synagogues asking us to increase their security and help them because the parents of the students are feeling unsafe. It's just an emotional reaction. But it's understandable. Talk to us if you would about your comments last night about the influence of political rhetoric in inciting acts of violence. Right. I think that the language that we hear has really ratcheted up a lot of the hate that we're feeling across the country not just in the Jewish community but in all communities. And Eddie D.L. we say that words matter. And that's really true. And when you dehumanize people and when you use language that is insightful it's problematic. And I think we see the result. You talk about people being called vermin and insects and so forth and and how that sort of can turn someone's mind into dehumanizing the people that you're talking about. Yes and as a Jewish community we saw that a lot leading up to the Holocaust actually. And because once you dehumanize people you take away their humanity you can really do anything to them because you don't see them as someone like yourself more than 50000 people including thousands of members of Pittsburgh's Jewish community signed a letter asking President Trump not to come to Pittsburgh after this tragedy. What do you think about that. Do you agree with that. You know I'm not here to talk about politics. I think that I am not in that community and I really can't judge how they are feeling. I know that the feeling in the community is just of tremendous pain right now. Lots of people are asking at this point what can I do when you get asked that question what do you say. Well I think it's very hard. People feel a little bit helpless right now. And in my remarks last night I was talking about what we can do as individuals and taking care of our own speech of when you get to work or when you're out at a cocktail party and you hear stereotypes and you hear hurtful things and you hear jokes at someone else's expense. Maybe now is the time to stand up and say you know this isn't the right time for that. This hurts people because really our children are watching us and we are the example for the next generation. So what we say matters what what's acceptable or not really makes a difference. Do you get the feeling that this tragedy in Pittsburgh is a turning point for the nation in any way. You know we always hope every time a tragedy happens we hope that it will wake up the nation so I'm hopeful but I'm not expecting it. Have you been surprised by San Diego's reaction to this. I have been heartened by San Diego's reaction to the outreach from the different faith leaders and different community leaders to upset the ADL showing support offering support is just been really overwhelming and we're humbled we're honored by that. I want to let our listeners know another vigil to honor the victims in Pittsburgh is being held tonight at the Temple Shalom in POW way at 7:00. And I've been speaking with Tammy Gilly's regional director of the Anti Defamation League in San Diego. Tammy thank you. Thank you.