Service, vigil to be held in Twin Cities in wake of Pittsburgh shooting
The Twin Cities Jewish community is hosting a service of healing and support on Sunday afternoon, in the wake of Saturday's deadly attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh.
The service is taking place at 3 p.m. at Temple Israel, 2323 Fremont Ave. South in Minneapolis.
In addition, an interfaith vigil to remember and honor the shooting victims is planned for Monday evening in St. Paul.
That event begins at 6 p.m. at Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Ave.
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Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, told MPR News on Saturday that while the attack happened hundreds of miles from Minnesota, it hits close to home in the state's Jewish community.
"Someone called me to say, 'I grew up in that synagogue,' 'I grew up in that neighborhood,' 'I went to college with people from Pittsburgh,' " he said. "The Jewish world is about one-half degree of separation generally — particularly in North America — one person from another. And it's said that all Jews are responsible for one another — so it hits home, very keenly.
"Our hearts, our prayers and our thoughts are with the people of Pittsburgh — both the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and the greater Pittsburgh community."
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton ordered flags in the state to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims. That's in accordance with a proclamation issued by President Trump. Flags will remain at half-staff through sunset Wednesday.
In a statement, Dayton called the shooting "a hateful act of violence committed against the Jewish community." He said the victims and their families deserve honor, respect and remembrance.