Fort Worth community members gather to pray for victims of deadly Pittsburgh attack

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The Jewish community in Fort Worth opened its doors Thursday night for a community-wide prayer service honoring the 11 people shot to death in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

The congregation of Ahavath Sholom held a night of prayer for victims of the massacre. They also used the event to call for unity in the wake of the attack which is being investigated as a hate crime.

The service brought together hundreds of people of different faiths to share prayers of healing, unity and support for the Jewish community.

Saturday's massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has struck fear into some members of the Jewish community.

“It was shocking, I felt unsafe,” said Karen Telschow Johnson. I had to take my son to Sunday school the next morning, drop him off at Bethel and I hesitated.”

But Thursday night, it was a message of one community united. Baptist, Muslim, and Christian faith leaders, along with reps from Fort Worth City Council and police came to share their messages of support.

“Yes, this may be in Pittsburgh,” said Rabbi Andre Bloom. “But just as the Jewish community has always come together as one people, we are one with them.”

“It was hard,” said Telschow Johnson. “But when you realize that a community can come together and be strong and supportive of you, you don’t feel so alone and then the fear can start to go away.”

There are other local events scheduled to honor the Tree of Life victims, including an inter-faith peace walk stopping at various religious communities in Colleyville Saturday at 2:30 p.m.