'Remember. Repair. Together': Memorial service held to honor victims of Tree of Life shooting

PITTSBURGH — Remember. Repair. Together.

That message echoed through the walls of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall as a quintet softly played mournful sounds in the background.

Eleven candles were lit by family members for the 11 lives taken that grim morning on Oct. 27, 2018.

"On that fateful day, apparently God didn't want me to be number 12," Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said.

There was grief again Sunday as the community marked one year since someone entered the doors of the Tree of Life synagogue and attacked its people.

Signs of pain and unity were everywhere with words of hope for a new day.

"I am hopeful living in this city of champions that we will continue to make this one of the greatest cities on earth. Where goodness prevails. Where strangers help one another. Where people protect other people," said New Light Rabbi Jonathan Perlman.

One by one, leaders stood behind the podium, including Gov. Tom Wolf, Mayor Bill Peduto and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Oct. 27, 2018 will always be remembered as the worst anti-Semitic attack to date in United States history, but it will not define the lives it changed forever.

We will always be stronger than hate.

"Anti-Semitic hatred is nothing new. It has been with us for hundreds of years. It has not defeated us yet, and it will not defeat us now. We are wounded, but we are healing. We are healing, and we are on our way to being stronger than ever," said Anne Marie Mizel, of the Dor Hadash congregation.