Notre Dame hosts prayer of solidarity for Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend community came together Tuesday afternoon to pray in solidarity and remembrance of the 11 worshipers shot and killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday morning.

“How is it possible to fathom being shot to death, while simply attending a Shabbat morning service?”  Rabbi Karen Companez said during the prayer service.

Adam Bisignani is a freshman at Notre Dame University from Pittsburgh.

He attended the service hoping another tragedy such as this, will be prevented. 

“I know the area that the shooting happened, and knowing the people who were involved, I wanted to give time and respect to those people,” Bisignani said.

During the service, 11 memorial candles were lit in honor of Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger Jerry Rabinowitz, Cicil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger.

“We hope to send a united message from all people of faith, and not faith, that message: there is no place for this type of hate and violence in our communities and our country,” Imam Mohammed Sirajuddin said.

The bells of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart rang for fifteen minutes following the prayer of solidarity.