North Texas Congregation Holds Vigil For Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Victims
COLLEYVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A show of unity.
Two days after a killing targeting Jews in Pittsburgh, the North Texas community shows it's united behind the Jewish community.
A vigil to mourn the victims of the deadly synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh drew hundreds of people at Congregation Beth Israel.
Since Saturday, the congregation has been inundated with support and love from the community and that continued Monday night.
Even though she lives in DFW now, Noreen Wassermann Houston was born into Tree of Life in Pittsburgh.
She was Bat Mitzvahed there and knew one of the victims, 97-year-old Rose Mallinger.
"Mrs. Mallinger. I still call her Mrs. Mallinger," said Houston. "(She) was a shining example of someone who had been in our congregation from the very beginning. I graduated with her son Allen."
And even though the loss were so deeply personal to Jews of Congregation Beth Israel... they were hardly alone.
Muslims and Christians were there to share in their sorrow.
"We will not allow for hate to win out. We are stronger together," said Colleyville Police Chief Michael Miller.
SOT: Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker - Congregation Beth Israel
"In Jewish history, there have been far too many times where we have had tragedies and difficulties and we haven't had any support. We just kind of had to pick up our pieces as best as we could," said Rabbie Charlie Cytron-Walker of Congregation Beth Israel.
Saturday, there will be an interfaith walk in Colleyville.
A group called Peace Together had planned it in response to violence and racism displayed in Charlottesville last year.
The idea is to walk a couple miles together and get a chance to talk to someone who isn't just like you.
