Jewish community leaders on the Syracuse University campus called on students, faculty and staff to “fight darkness with light” at a Sunday evening vigil organized in response to Saturday’s mass shooting at a Pennsylvania synagogue.

The shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, which left 11 people dead and several others injured, is being regarded as the most violent anti-Semitic act in United States history. The Chabad House at SU and the Winnick Hillel Center hosted the vigil to unite the local Jewish community and allow everyone to feel this “collective loss” together, said Jessica Lemons, interim Hillel director.

Students light candles for the vigil on Sunday in front of Hendricks Chapel in solidarity with the victims of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting. Doug Steinman | Contributing Photographer

“It hits home, and it’s absolutely devastating,” Lemons said in an interview before the vigil, which took place on the steps of Hendricks Chapel at 6 p.m. “It hits home in a lot of different ways, and it just hurts us all as a people.”

About 100 people attended the vigil. Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport of the Chabad House said he was pleased with the turnout.

“It’d be nice to see the Quad full, it’d be nice to see the Dome full (of) people for an event like this, but I’m realistic,” he said.

Lemons expressed gratitude for the support the Jewish community has received from the greater SU community, and said she has seen fellow student religious organizations expressing support on social media since the shooting. She added that it’s encouraging to see chaplains and other allies taking a stance against anti-Semitism.

“It helps to have a community,” she said. “It doesn’t take away the loss, but it helps to have a community on campus and a community that cares so deeply about one another.”

Students listen to Chabad Rabbi Zalmon and Rabbi Rapoport speak about anti-Semitism. Doug Steinman | Contributing Photographer

Knowing the SU community has “gotten stronger” since the Theta Tau controversy last spring helps people through the mourning process, Lemons said. The videos contained anti-Semitic slurs.

Zalman Ives, associate rabbi and program director at the Chabad House, said at the vigil that the Jewish approach is to fight darkness with light. He spoke about Jewish people spreading light, prayer, goodness and kindness in response to tragedy and how that’s long been a part of Jewish history.

Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol was present at the vigil, and Ives spoke about how Konkol’s support and solidarity is part of a larger positive effect on the SU campus.

Vigil attendees were handed prayer sheets and candles as they arrived. About halfway into the vigil, Konkol lit the first candle himself, then approached the crowd to light other students’ candles. Upon seeing the crowd light up with dozens of small flames, many people were moved to tears.

Several students and community leaders are on the steps now singing in Hebrew pic.twitter.com/MCWOm6Wi8t

— Colleen E. Ferguson (@ColleenEFergus2) October 28, 2018

The Jewish community must respond now by coming together in unity and solidarity, Ives said.

“Avoiding synagogues would be handing this perpetrator of evil a splendid victory,” he said.

Ives encouraged every “Orange Jew” to pack the closest synagogue this coming weekend. The Chabad House hosts Shabbat dinners every Friday, with religious services at 6:45 p.m. and a dinner immediately following.

The rabbi also encouraged students living in dorms or other on-campus housing to practice public displays of Judaism, like hanging mezuzahs. The pieces of parchment with religious texts on them are displayed in cases on the doorways of Jewish homes as signs of faith.

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The vigil and the community responses aren’t intended to be isolated events, he added.

“The Jewish people have been through so much … we’ve survived it all, and we’re still here,” he said. “As a united front, the Jewish community will come together.”

Sarah Ives, the Chabad House’s co-programming director and Zalman’s wife, said she was touched by how many people came to the vigil.

Rebecca Blekht, a senior in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management who attended the vigil, said that togetherness is an essential part of the healing process after an event like the shooting.

Students gather for a moment of silence. Corey Henry | Staff Photographer

“In these times, whether you’re Jewish or not any religion, you just need to be supportive of each other,” she said. “I think that tonight was really effective just because we were all here for each other.”

Rapoport concluded the vigil by encouraging members of the Jewish community to keep doing good deeds, practicing kindness and spreading the light.

“Let’s see a change in the world tomorrow morning,” he said.

Published on October 28, 2018 at 11:34 pm

Contact Colleen: cefergus@syr.edu | @ColleenEFergus2