Tree of Life receives grant for rebuild project

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life/Or L’Simcha Congregation will be awarded a multimillion dollar state grant to fund a rebuilding project at the synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Gov. Tom Wolf will be at the site on Monday to announce the award, which is part of a $54.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program package to support 16 community, economic development and revitalization projects across Pennsylvania.

“I am pleased to announce these projects will receive the state funding they need to improve or create new community projects and facilities that add to the quality of life for residents in these communities,” Wolf said.

The $6.6 million grant will help rebuild the site of the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history into a new place of hope, remembrance, and education.

“Rebuilding after this attack means so many things,” said Sen. Jay Costa said. “This project is for a re-imagined space that is healing and welcoming — an honor to the memory of those we lost, and a haven for many years to come. I was proud to support this funding, but also additional resources we allocated this fall from other programs.”

Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life congregation told our news partners at The Trib that the project will include creating spaces for worship and commemoration, classrooms and a new home for public programs provided by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.

“Our campaign, and the grant that comes in support of it, provides an opportunity to collectively renew our resolve to fight antisemitism and bigotry of all kinds as we continue our journey of healing,” Myers said. “We are tremendously thankful to Gov. Wolf, Sen. (Jay) Costa and Rep. (Dan) Frankel for this significant and generous investment in our effort to establish a new and reimagined space that serves not only our congregation but all of Tree of Life’s neighbors and the broader community.”

On Oct. 27, 2018, a gunman entered the Tree of Life synagogue building during services and killed 11 people. Robert Bowers, 49, of Baldwin, faces more than 60 federal charges and is awaiting trial.

The Tree of Life Congregation has chosen New York-based architect Daniel Libeskind to lead the rebuilding effort.

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