In Response to the Tragedy in Pittsburgh

In Response to the Tragedy in Pittsburgh

The board of directors, staff, and members of the YM&YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood express our deep sorrow to our brethren at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. We are with them both in spirit and in person as our own Chief Program Officer Martin Yafe arrived there last evening to represent us all and offer support.

We must stand together as a community to fight hatred, anti-semitism, and all acts of violence against people. We will mourn together for the people whose lives were lost and pray for those injured to recover fully and quickly. We express our deep appreciation to the first responders who ran into the line of fire to save lives. They too are our heroes.

We will continue to make certain that Y is a place where people can come without fear and we work closely with the NYPD, Department of Homeland Security, UJA-Federation of New York, JCRC-NY, and JCC Association to increase and strengthen our security protocols.

We will continue to be a place where all are welcome to support, to learn, to inspire, and to celebrate together. Our hearts are broken as we absorb the intensity of this tragedy, but our resolve to live on freely is stronger than ever.

By Martin Englisher, Chief Executive Officer

About the Y
Established in 1917, the YM&YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood (the Y) is Northern Manhattan’s premier Jewish community center — serving an ethnically and socio-economically diverse constituency — improving the quality of life for people of all ages through critical social services and innovative programs in health, wellness, education, and social justice, while promoting diversity and inclusion, and caring for those in need.

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