Reprinted with permission from Shareblue.
On Tuesday, Trump forced himself on a city grieving the murder of 11 Jews who were shot dead in their synagogue on Saturday — even after they told him he was not welcome.
So the Jewish community of Pittsburgh responded, not with anger but with prayer. And now White House counselor Kellyanne Conway is attacking them for it.
“I think it’s unfortunate people were out there politically protesting with different messages today,” Conway said on Fox News.
Obviously, Conway had no idea what those people were actually doing and didn’t care enough to find out. But BuzzFeed reporter Julia Reinstein was there to report on how the city Trump insisted on insulting with his presence was responding.
“We’re sitting shiva as part of the grieving process for the eleven victims of the mass shooting. We want to respect the Jewish tradition of mourning,” said Mariel Shlomchik, who brought food for the grievers.
They sang prayer after prayer: “Ozi v’Zimrat Yah vayahi li lishuah” (“My strength balanced with the song of God will be my salvation”).
The protestors are singing the Mi Sheiberach, the Jewish prayer of healing, with their arms wrapped around each other. pic.twitter.com/iTKV7opRtD
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) October 30, 2018
They said the Mourner’s Kaddish for the 11 who were murdered.
The @IfNotNowPGH protestors just said the Mourner’s Kaddish for the eleven killed at Tree of Life. pic.twitter.com/GdGDvhinBU
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) October 30, 2018
They prayed about love.
“Olam chesed yibanei,” the protestors are singing. “We will build this world with love.” pic.twitter.com/ZZFHkNHuAd
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) October 30, 2018
They prayed for peace.
The protestors are now singing Oseh Shalom, the Jewish prayer for peace pic.twitter.com/I7CTwMKs0C
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) October 30, 2018
And yes, they told Trump he is not welcome until he denounces white supremacy.
These were the people — the Jewish community still burying their dead — Conway so viciously and so ignorantly attacked.
Even though Trump has appealed to white supremacists and anti-Semites, spewing their hateful talking points and invoking their coded language to let them know he is one of them, the Jewish community responded to his presence not with anger but with prayer.
And even then, the White House can only further insult them.
Published with permission of The American Independent.
