‘My heart hurts’: 5th Pittsburgh shooting victim buried

The funeral of the fifth victim in Saturday’s mass synagogue shooting, Joyce Fienberg, 74, is taking place in Pittsburgh’s Beth Shalom congregation.

The service for Fienberg, a member of the Conservative Tree of Life synagogue, begins with words from the congregation’s emeritus rabbi Alvin Berkun.

Fienberg, a lifelong educator, was praised as an internationally known academic, valued friend, community volunteer, proud mother to Anthony and Howard, devoted grandmother and beloved wife.

“She brought joy to those she met… Joyce was essentially an honest person. She said what she meant and meant what she said,” Berkun said.

A casket is carried out of Rodef Shalom Congregation after the funeral services for brothers Cecil and David Rosenthal, in Pittsburgh, October 30, 2018. (Matt Rourke/AP)

Fienberg’s brother said, “My heart hurts. And you’re not here to fix it. My sister was murdered.”

Quoting his daughter, the brother said, “She was not the type of person who would be the life of the party, but she would be the type of person to give life to the party.”

“In the end, a life of pure giving is a life well lived” he said, and urged the mourners to examine themselves and strive to take Feinberg’s model as their own. “Sometimes I can’t bear to think of it. Evil tried to shut off the light, but the light refuses to be dimmed even in our broken hearts… Joyce was my sister, but she is your sister too… Her unparalleled goodness lives on.”

— Amanda Borschel Dan