Emhoff blasts ‘crisis of antisemitism’ at groundbreaking for Tree of Life synagogue
At site of Pittsburgh synagogue where extremist gunned down 11 worshipers in 2018, community starts work on new complex ‘dedicated to uprooting antisemitism’
Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro were among the dignitaries in Pittsburgh marking the groundbreaking Sunday of a new structure to replace the Tree of Life synagogue, where 11 worshipers were murdered in 2018 in the deadliest act of antisemitism in American history.
The public figures joined family members of those killed, as well as survivors of the massacre, to memorialize those murdered and to dedicate a new center to the fight against antisemitism and hate.
“Today we announce, loudly and clearly, to the entire world that evil did not win — that it did not chase us from our home, and it never, ever will,” said Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, who survived the shooting.
Carole Zawatsky, the inaugural CEO of Tree of Life, described the new center to be built on the site as a “locally grounded institution with a national impact, dedicated to uprooting antisemitism and identity-based hate.”
Plans for the new complex include a cultural center, sanctuary, educational center and museum along with a memorial to the worshipers murdered in the 2018 attack.
“In the face of dramatically rising antisemitism, it is our turn to pick up the baton,” Zawatsky added. Antisemitic hate crimes have surged worldwide over the last eight months, in the wake of the Hamas terror group’s October 7 attack on Israel last year and the subsequent war between the country and the terror group, which continues to hold hostages.
Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of an American president or vice president, was the only speaker to refer explicitly to the October 7 attack, or the State of Israel, though others made oblique references to it and some wore dog tags representing the plight of the hostages in Gaza.
The first gentleman spoke about his visit to the Tree of Life site in the aftermath of October 7, and said, “It is a crisis of antisemitism we are undergoing right now in America and the world.
“We’re seeing it on our campuses and schools, our markets and our neighborhoods, our synagogues and online. Students are terrified to go to class.” University campuses have been hotbeds of anti-Israel activism, including expressions of support for Hamas.
“When Jews are targeted because of their beliefs or identity, or when Israel is singled out because of anti-Jewish hatred, that is antisemitism,” Emhoff said, to applause from the audience.
Governor Shapiro, who is Jewish, reminded the audience that when he was sworn in 18 months ago, one of the bibles on which he swore his oath was from the Tree of Life. To this day, that bible sits on his desk in the Capitol, he said.
“Far too many people in today’s world either ignore or failed to learn from the atrocities of the past,” Shapiro said. “The task of remembering requires us to stand up, speak out, and ensure that everyone in this country knows the stories of the 11 people who were murdered here – and the dangers of antisemitism.”
The ceremony also included an address from Eric Ward, an expert on hate movements and radicalization, from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“Let us to day be clear: Antisemitism isn’t merely a religious bigotry— it is a form of racism,” Ward said, adding, “the tragedy at Tree of Life was not an isolated incident, but a chilling reminder of what happens when bigotry goes unchecked.
“As we confront rising authoritarianism and the insidious spread of hateful ideologies, we must recognize that antisemitism thrives in the shadows of complacency and silence. It festers in the rhetoric of intolerance and conspiracy theories that both scapegoat and kill.”
The shooter who targeted the Tree of Life complex in 2018 was motivated by the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, which holds that Jews pull the strings behind mass immigration policies in order to displace white people and change the country’s demographics.
The shooter, who chose Tree of Life as his target in part because it had hosted a “Refugee Shabbat” event, was sentenced to death in 2023 after being convicted on 63 counts, including hate crimes resulting in death.
Newscaster Wolf Blitzer also spoke, and closed the event.
Much of the original synagogue complex, which had been unused since the shootings, was demolished earlier this year. The reconstruction is being overseen by a new non-profit organization, named Tree of Life. The building will include worship space for the historic congregation of the same name along with space for other activities.
The new design is by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, whose previous works include Jewish museums, Holocaust memorials and the master plan for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center after 9/11.
“The end of our story is not victimhood, it’s about how we as Jewish people define ourselves and, out of the worst moments, our capacity to be resilient, to get up and to rebuild,” said Carole Zawatsky, chief executive officer of the Tree of Life non-profit organization overseeing the project in tandem with the congregation of the same name.
Organizers aim to have the project completed by the end of 2026, she said in an interview.
Zawatsky said the project aims to honor the memories of the 11 who were killed and to combat the hatred behind such attacks.
“What we’re truly doing is looking at the root of all identity-based hate,” she said. “In a society where antisemitism is allowed to flourish, all forms of hate are allowed to flourish. It is an American problem.”
