On Thursday, October 20th, HBO hosted a special premiere screening of the new documentary “A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” at its New York headquarters. The documentary follows survivors of the tragedy and delves into their first-person accounts of the shooting that took place on October 27th, 2018 and its aftermath. The film is a deeply personal portrait of the survivors, victims and family members, who share their harrowing first-hand accounts of the impact of the shooting on the community.
The film is rooted in a community in the aftermath of a violent attack, as they work to rebuild and heal. Despite core differences, Pittsburghers come together to determine what justice looks like and how to best move forward while honoring and learning from the past. The film sheds light on the collective trauma suffered by a tight-knit group and brings into sharp focus the hate-based rhetoric that surrounds many of the mass shootings today, threatening the fabric of our society. All three congregations worshiping in Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha, Dor Hadash and New Light suffered losses of beloved community members.
Throughout the film, the theme is one of resilience, hope, and community. The Pittsburgh community has responded to this tragedy with a desire to not just rebuild, but also to create a space of honor and remembrance for the 11 victims: Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger. The story of the attack is told through voices from the community,
The film was directed by native Pittsburgher Trish Adlesic and produced by Susan Margolin. Executive producers were Michael Keaton, Billy Porter, Mark Cuban, D.J. Gugenheim, Elliott Joseph, Lloyd Myers, Geeta Gandbhir, Lauran Bromley, Michele Fetting, Charlie Friday. It features an original song by Idina Menzel. The film premiered on HBO Max on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022. The trailer is available for viewing here.
For more information about Tree of Life, please visit rememberrebuildrenew.org.
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