Pittsburgh community unites in face of tragedy

The silence lasted 11 seconds.
One second for each of the Saturday's victims.
One second for each of the faithful who lost their lives at Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill.
One second for each individual cruelly taken too early in the deadliest attack against the Jewish community in the history of the United States.
The 11-second moment of silence was held prior to the puck drop of the Pens' Tuesday night contest against the New York Islanders.

"It's something that you can never imagine or feel until it happens to you," said Sara Spanjer, the Young Adult Division Director at the Jewish Federation of Great Pittsburgh. "But there is no community that I would rather be in right now than Pittsburgh. The sense of community that we're all feeling is unlike any other that I've ever felt before."
Spanjer stood outside of PPG Paints Arena holding an upside-down hockey helmet that was filled with donations, which would benefit The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.
She was one of many volunteers collecting money for the families of the 11 victims of the tragedy. She was joined by many others doing the same, giving their time to do whatever they can.
The helpers.
"This is a very strong city," said Tim Huttes, 67, of Cranberry. "It always makes me proud when everyone comes together. If people need help, they all get together and give anything support-wise or money-wise, anything to help people."
Huttes dropped a few dollars into a collection bucket as he made his way into the arena.
"They need the money and they need help," Huttes said. "Anything anyone can do to help with that should throw in."
The community has responded to the deadly display of hate with an outpouring of love. "Stronger Than Hate" isn't merely a rallying phrase, but a way of life for the Pittsburgh community.
"Love is stronger than hate. What's been happening here in Pittsburgh and across the United States and the world, you feel it," Spanjer said. "It shows that we're resilient and that love will beat out any hatred out there."
Joyce Fienberg, 75
Richard Gottfried, 65
Rose Mallinger, 97
Jerry Rabinowitz, 66
As the gunman tried to exit the Tree of Life, he was met by a police officer and engaged in a firefight. As a result, the gunman retreated back into the synagogue while police reinforcements arrived.
The gunman was taken alive, but not before six officers were wounded in the battle. Two of the officers released from the hospital - Anthony Burke and Mike Smidga - walked onto the ice for a ceremonial puck drop prior to the game.
The officers fearlessly ran into a firefight with an unknown assailant, knowing that their lives could be lost, to keep people safe. We'll never know how many lives were saved by these heroic officers.
"It still hits close to home," said Bill Wood of Pittsburgh, who is friends with one of the wounded officers that is still hospitalized. "I've been in Pittsburgh all of my life and no matter what happens they always rally around each other in bad situations, good situations, it's just remarkable."
Minutes after the shooting occurred a call was made for blood donations. The Pittsburgh community packed donation centers, causing two-hour delays at some. Still, people waited to give their blood.
The Pens held their own blood drive at PPG Paints Arena on Monday morning with Vitalant (formerly Central Blood Bank). The stations were packed as people lined the streets to give what they could. In all, 254 donated.
The Pens Foundation donated $50,000 dollars to the Jewish Federation and officers' fund. The Pens will be autographing their jerseys, which have a special "Stronger Than Hate" patch, and auctioning them. Money raised in the team's 50/50 Raffle will also be donated.
In all, the Pens hope to raise over $250,000 dollars on the evening.
"This entire community, and especially the Penguins community, has been so gracious and so thoughtful to be doing what they have been doing and allowing us to be here tonight to collect donations," Spanjer said.
Cecil Rosenthal, 59
David Rosenthal, 54
Bernice Simon, 84
Sylvan Simon, 86
The Pens took the ice for the game with heavy hearts, as they did Saturday night in Vancouver just hours after the shooting occurred. They knew it would be an emotional return for the first game back in their adopted city following the tragedy.

"I think given everything we just have to hold that stuff to our heart," Bryan Rust said before the game. "But we have to keep playing hockey."
The Pens were motivated to get a win for the city, as they did that night in Vancouver over 2,000 miles away.
"You keep that in the back of your mind," captain Sidney Crosby said. "Try to play for the city as we always do, but especially in times like this. It's a terrible thing that happened and we're thinking about everyone involved. Hopefully, we can do all we can to support and help them right now."
The Pens opened the game with a lot of energy and a spirited effort. But in the end, the Pens suffered a 6-3 loss to the Islanders.
"Emotionally I think everyone felt that," Crosby said following the game. "You try to recognize, go out there and try as hard as you can and show your appreciation. Words are one thing, and you try to go out there and follow it up. We tried to just go out there and play for them.
"Certainly, we would have liked a better result. But the bottom line is we wanted to find a way to get a win for a lot of reasons. Unfortunately, it didn't happen."
Despite the loss, the Pens gave the city something it desperately needed in the face of sadness, anger and loss, that is a sense of normalcy. For two-plus hours the fans cheered, danced, clapped and felt some sense of happiness in the wave of grief that has encompassed the city.
"We hurt like everyone else here. This is our hometown and we sure love Pittsburgh," said a somber Matt Cullen. "It makes you think about family and what's important. We all feel for everybody involved."
Daniel Stein, 71
Melvin Wax, 88
Irving Younger, 69
This week, the city will begin to bury the 11 lost souls. Mourners overwhelmed temples as the turnout overflowed into the streets on Tuesday, the first day of burials. The grieving continues this week as the city and loved ones say their final goodbyes.
The memories of those that were taken will live on forever in the minds of their friends, family and congregation.
As time passes, the grieving will become less and less though it will never dissipate; the sting less severe, but never gone. The wounds will leave scars. But in time the city will heal, and become stronger.
The spirit of the community will rise up and conquer hate. A city of bridges will unite a community stronger than any challenge, the bonds greater than anything that could divide.
"The process of healing means we fight hate with love," Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto told CNN. "We fight it with compassion. We fight it with the understanding that a neighborhood like Squirrel Hill, that's the most diverse neighborhood in all of western Pennsylvania, is a welcoming community that welcomes everyone.
"We're stronger than hate. That's why we'll get by."
Three blocks from the sight of the shooting was the home of the late Pittsburgh icon Mr. Rogers. In his book, he summarized the city of Pittsburgh's response to tragedy:
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look at the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"
The helpers ran into a gunfight, risking their lives for others. The helpers donated their blood. The helpers held candlelight vigil and spoke soft words of prayer. The helpers stood outside to collect donations, while other helpers filled their buckets.
Pittsburgh is a city of helpers. Nothing can break that.
As a sign poignantly read at the Steelers' game over the weekend: "HATRED CAN'T WEAKEN A CITY OF STEEL."