Pittsburgh pauses to reflect, remembering lives lost at Tree of Life 2 years ago

PITTSBURGH — A makeshift memorial lines the gates outside Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood Tuesday, marking two years since a shooting took the lives of 11 people.

Mourners said the pain is still incredibly real, but they will never forget the victims.

>>STORY: Remembering the 11 people killed at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh

“We will always remember our precious congregants. They live on in our hearts and our memories,” Rosanne Levine, a Tree of Life member and ambassador, said.

Mayor Bill Peduto called for a moment of silence and reflection at 9:54 a.m., the time the gunman entered the synagogue. He joined members of the community, Tree of Life congregants and Pittsburgh police to safely gather, pause and reflect on the tragedy.

“There is a path toward making this a better city, a better country and a better world, and it begins on how we treat one another,” Peduto said.

“We’re here as one in a community and, no matter what, we’ll stand behind them and we’re here for them, and I think that’s the beauty of this city,” Maddie Lewis, of Lawrenceville, said.

Remembering those lost in the Tree of Life attack

Cox Media Group