Jewish community in Pittsburgh calling for peace as conflict in Israel intensifies
As the conflict in Israel intensifies, Jewish community members in Pittsburgh are calling for peace.
Temple Sinai in Squirrel Hill hosted a prayer service Friday night to honor the lives lost and pray for the protection of those in harm’s way.
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“This has felt different for most Jews. Most of the time most of the events there feel like geopolitical events, this one has hit us differently. This one has felt like an antisemitic gut punch,” said Temple Sinai’s Senior Rabbi Daniel Fellman.
Fellman’s Friday Shabbat service centered around song and prayer dedicated to those killed and captured in Israel.
“When the canter and I put together the service for tonight, we added prayers in and we changed things up and added melodies to allow people to come together, to allow people to comfort each other, to allow people time and space to grieve and mourn, but also to recommit ourselves to peace,” Fellman said.
The opportunity to be together with his Jewish brothers and sisters is exactly what brought Jon Prince to Friday’s service.
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“Community is everything. It’s about connection. When times are good, you connect. When times are bad, you connect and get strength,” Prince said.
As the conflict in Israel continues, Fellman does not feel animosity toward most Palestinians — just the leaders of Hamas.
“The Palestinians are overwhelmingly good people,” he said. “I’ve spent time with them, I have Palestinian friends, I’ve worked with them, they deserve better leadership. I want the Palestinian people to see that. I want them to rise up and say, ‘We want to live next to you side by side as neighbors, and we want to create a better world.’”
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