Wayland Vigil Held In Wake Of Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

WAYLAND, MA—Cantor Hollis Schachner, cantor at Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland has a sister in law who is a cantorial soloist at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. Other members of Temple Shir Tikva grew up in Pittsburgh.

Eight men and three women were slain when a gunman opened fire last weekend at the Tree of Life. Armed with an AR-15 and three Glock handguns, the lone shooter, identified as Robert Bowers, began his rampage Saturday morning. The massacre is likely the deadliest assault on the Jewish community in American history, according to authorities.

"As an extended community many people have been personally touched and all of us have been impacted," said Harry Merkin, a member of the Board of Trustees at Temple Shir Tikva and one of the organizers of a vigil to be held on Monday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. at the temple in the wake of the mass shooting. The vigil is in association with Congregation Or Atid, and and is being supported by the Wayland Interfaith Leaders Association.

Merkin told Patch that officials from the Islamic Center of Boston, the temple's across the street neighbor, and Congregation Or Atid, another Wayland temple, will also be there.

"Rabbi Danny Burkeman of Temple Shir Tikva will certainly be speaking this evening," said Merkin. "The tragedy has touched the entire Jewish community."

Photo via Shutterstock