Volunteers cleaning up Sheridan Avenue Orchard to create safe space during synagogue shooting trial

This article originally appeared in CBS News Pittsburgh on April 23, 2023.

As jury selection begins in the trial for the accused shooter in the synagogue attack, volunteers are cleaning up the garden in memory of the 11 victims from three different congregations, giving people a safe space to gather, discuss and heal while also performing an act of service — something that organizers say is synonymous with the Jewish faith.

“We identify that this timing with the trial going on Downtown would be a tense time in our community, it can be retraumatizing or triggering for folks, it can be confusing, it can just bring up all types of different feelings or thoughts for different people and so we really wanted to think about how can we provide q space for us to come together in a meaningful way,” said Jules Mallis, Executive Director of Repair the World Pittsburgh.

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