On October 27, 2018, eleven worshipers in the Tree of Life Synagogue were shot and killed. Jewish residents who had been living and attending services there for decades suddenly had their lives ripped from them. For several weeks after the incident, memorials were held, speeches were given, and wounds were opened and reopened.

As the months passed by, the memorials shrunk and disappeared as people progressed through the healing process. Other shootings occurred around the country and the world as a whole, and the spotlight slowly left the Steel City as the news cycle churned out the next big story. Now, one year later, people are looking back to this critical day.

In a recent article by The Atlantic, a claim was made that the Tree of Life shooting had been forgotten. The reporter claimed that, while the shooting has remained fresh in the minds of the people in the Squirrel Hill community, the rest of America has moved on. Since this tragedy, another 15 mass shootings have occurred. Included in this list was another mass shooting at a Jewish synagogue in California where one person was killed and three others were injured. These shootings, combined with other tragedies in America and abroad, have taken the spotlight away from Pittsburgh’s tragedy. 

Still, on the year anniversary of the shooting, organizations have continued to raise awareness of the blatant disregard of human life and religious freedom. On Monday night, during the Steelers game versus the Miami Dolphins, the team held a moment of silence for the shooting. 

Just a few weeks ago, Tree of Life announced that they were moving forward with plans to rebuild and reopen. This is a big announcement considering they have not done so since the shooting. The synagogue also announced that the reopening was an affirmation in their “pledge to fight antisemitism and all forms of discrimination.” Even before the shooting, the 60-year-old synagogue was in need of repair. Now, after meetings with members of the synagogue and the families of the victims, plans have been laid out to reopen.

But has change occurred in the community? Have any measurable legislative changes enacted? And, has the Tree of Life and wider Pittsburgh Jewish population begun to heal?

Senior Erica Negrini felt closely connected to the events of last October, due to her Jewish heritage.

“I think people have begun to heal in their own ways such as speaking out or writing down their experiences,” Negrini commented about the healing process of the community. Although she feels that people have started their healing process, she believes that “the wound will likely never be fully healed, but our city has become stronger than ever.”

In reaction to the support given to Squirrel Hill by the rest of the community, Erica said, “It was very powerful to see people from all religions and backgrounds join together to give support to the Jewish community after the shooting. The amount of love and outreach that is still being shown today really gives [us] hope for the future.”

After the shooting, Pittsburgh’s city council enacted laws restricting gun access. Under these laws, obtaining military-style assault weapons such as the AR-15 would become harder. However, a year later, the laws put in place are being challenged in the courts. According to Allegheny County Judge Joseph James, multiple ordinances passed by the council violate state law and thus must be repealed. Still, the city has made its position clear and has stated that it plans to appeal the decision made by Allegheny County.

While the decision on Pittsburgh’s revised gun laws makes its way through the appeal process, the people of Squirrel Hill continue their healing process. While it is objectively hard to measure, the imminent reopening of the synagogue will be moving the community in a new direction.