PITTSBURGH — In recent weeks Pittsburgh has endured an uptick in hate crimes; from Jewish students physically attacked on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus to antisemitic vandalism at a local high school.
Yet amid ongoing tension, the fourth annual Eradicate Hate Summit kicked off at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with stories of survivors of the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history that happened in Pittsburgh. The Global Summit provides a unique, multidisciplinary forum to share ideas and build working relationships to drive the development and deployment of effective approaches to reduce hate-fueled violence.
“I’ve been speaking publicly since a week after the shooting,” said Audrey Glickman to a conference room full of people.
On Monday morning, a room full of experts and guests from across the globe heard the stories of survivors of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
“Having been a survivor I am intent on pushing this forward,” Glickman said.
Audrey Glickman survived the attack on Oct. 27, 2018. On Monday, she recalled the moments when Robert Bowers came into the Tree of Life, and she heard gunfire. She ran upstairs to find a storage space to hide. After the terror was over and she knew she was safe, she turned her life’s mission to ending hate.
Glickman joined by fellow survivors and loved ones explained how through the REACH (Remember, Educate, and Combat Hate) program they can use their stories to advocate. The group now works in 30 different school districts visiting local classrooms. The group shows a short documentary about the atrocities of the synagogue shooting and then helps students form action plans to end hate.
“These students open up to us after we talk to them, they come up to us and a lot of them will tell us issues they’re having. They see our strength, I think our strength comes out and gives them strength too,” said Wedner
Wedner had taken her mother, Rose Mallinger, to Saturday service that day. They were both shot. Her mother was killed and Andrea was badly injured.
She and her husband now advocate through the REACH program.
“It’s very gratifying, very humbling to meet with these students hear their questions see what they have gone through, and how they counter it with their own eradicate hate groups,” said Ron Wedner, Andrea’s husband.
This year’s three-day summit is expected to host more than 1,100 guests and more than 270 speakers.
“The story needs to be told so it’s never forgotten,” Wedner said.
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