The flickering lights of a Havdalah candle and 11 memorial candles illuminated the faces of B’nai Amoona congregants and many visitors Saturday night at a Havdalah of Hope service to dispel the darkness of the tragedy in Pittsburgh.

Almost 400 people showed up, recited traditional prayers and listened to the music of voices and guitar. Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose spoke about chesed, or loving kindness, as an appropriate Jewish response “to the horrors we have been experiencing in our country. “ He said it was a part of Abraham’s legacy. 

“We — in our time — would be wise to emulate Abraham as we quest for healing, rapprochement and  wholeness,” Rose said.

The program handed out said: “We gather as a community to work towards peace and hope.” It was “a prayerful gathering of unified voices to share our strength, resilience and hope.”

Rabbi Neal Rose read the names of the dead and injured in the shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue.  A memorial candle was lit for each of 11 Jews who was murdered. A Holocaust survivor, George Spooner, talked about Nazi anti-Semitism.

Those who knew the familiar Jewish melody of Eitz Chayim Hi sang the words of the Tree of Life prayer. 

B’nai Amoona sponsored Havdalah for Hope in partnership with Cultural Leadership, Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis and other community agencies and schools. The event was part of the wider ShowUpforShabbat weekend.

The Havdalah service separates the holy Shabbat from the rest of the week.

Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro, representing Interfaith Partnership, said that despite the darkness now there was a “light of hope.”

“The strength that we have gathered in the wake of this tragedy comes not only from our fellow Jews, but from the community around us — from people of other faiths, from community and school leaders, from our neighbors,” said Shapiro.

Marla Grossman, a B’nai Amoona member, came to the program with her husband and two of their children. She said she was praying for “all the families who lost loved ones” in the synagogue shootings. “I’m glad to bring my family here to reflect, pray and remember,” she said.

Lisa Greenstein was pleased to see her Chesterfield neighbors, Noor Ahmed and Parveen Ahmed, who wore yellow Anti-Defamation League “No Place for Hate” stickers. Greenstein was there with her father-in-law, Harvey Greenberg, and sister-in-law, Janet Lutz.

Nancy Robinson, of the Church of Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ and an Interfaith Partnership board member, came to offer support and friendship.  A group of Quakers (Friends) and individuals from the Hindu Temple of St. Louis and the Vedanta Society also attended event.

After the service, some people made cards to send to first responders in Pittsburgh and to the Pittsburgh congregation.

Abigail Bernstein, a B’nai Amoona member and Ladue Horton Watkins High School student, made two cards.  On the back of her consoling card to the synagogue, Eileen Schneider Edelman wrote the names of her children who live in Pittsburgh.