We commemorate today the seventh anniversary of the terrible shootings at the Tree of Life Synagogue building in Pittsburgh that took the lives of eleven of our precious brothers and sisters gathered for Shabbat morning prayer. We remember, today and always, Joyce Feinberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger. May their memories always be a blessing.

Unfortunately, the attack on a Jewish gathering in a quiet and welcoming community taught us that such horrors could happen anywhere, as subsequent attacks in Poway, California; Munsey, New York; Jersey City, New Jersey; Colleyville, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; Washington, D.C., and elsewhere confirmed. And so we have set out together to ensure that every Jewish facility in North America is protected and that our public officials understand the responsibility of the government to protect all its citizens in their places of worship and communal gathering. We want to thank every Federation and community leader for all the work that has led to the creation of a security umbrella covering our community, but also acknowledge that this work is not finished, and that it will likely continue to get harder and more costly. Working together, we will meet this challenge as we always have – with incredible generosity and unwavering commitment.

Just as 9/11 marked a turning point for the security of the United States, so October 27th will always mark a turning point in the history of the North American Jewish community. We send our love to the families of the victims, to the courageous leaders of the Jewish community of Pittsburgh who responded with such compassion, and to the law enforcement agencies that strive to protect us every day.

May our work protecting our community be successful, and may we remain strong and resolute. In the words of Psalm 121:

יהוה ישמרך מכל רע ישמר את נפשך יהוה ישמר צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד עולם׃

May G-d guard us from all harm – may G-d guard our going and coming, now and forever.

Gary Torgow is Chair of the Board of Trustees and Eric Fingerhut is President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America.