'Beautiful' vigil held in Georgina for victims of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

Yorkregion.com
November 8, 2018
Heidi Riedner

Residents and representatives of all faiths in Georgina packed The ROC In a show of solidarity against anti-Semitism and hate crimes and in support of the victims and survivors of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh.

In a world that can be terribly dark at times, one small act, like the light from the strike of a match, can illuminate the world and make it a better place, Rabbi Yossi Vorovitch told those gathered for the candlelight vigil Nov. 1.

The director of the Chadad Jewish Centre of Georgina, which organized the event with the town, was overwhelmed by the show of support from the community.

“We weren’t expecting so many people, but it was a beautiful thing to see so many people of all faiths come out in such a meaningful show of support for the Jewish community and against this terrible act of terrorism,” Vorovicth said.

Many spoke, including York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney, the riding's Conservative nominee Scot Davidson, Pastor Grant Verdoold and Holocaust survivor and author of the national bestselling book By Chance Alone, Max Eisen. Eleven candles were lit and prayers said for each of the victims during the event, whose tone was both sombre, but also uplifting and optimistic in its message of solidarity against racism and hate.

“The soul lives on, but there are also many things one can do to keep the memory of those murdered alive,” Vorovitch said.

In Jewish tradition, an act or good deed is an important way to honour the memory of someone who is gone.

A small token of money donated in their memory is not about the financial amount, but the act itself, Vorovitch explained.

Those gathered for the event were encouraged to donate money through coins provided by the centre to the Georgina Community Food Pantry in memory of the victims.

“It was beautiful to see people taking our coins as well as their own to give a donation,” he said.

Vorovitch added the candlelight vigil was a perfect example of a community standing together and fighting anti-Semitism through knowledge.

"It was beautiful."