'United States Is Not A Friendly Place Anymore': Klezmer Concert Goers React To Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting tragedy was on the mind of those attending a concert in Philadelphia Sunday.
Most of the audience who attended the concert were of Jewish descent. The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting hit close to home for many and they began the show with a moment of silence for the 11 lives lost in an act of terror.
On Saturday, a lone gunman walked into a Pittsburgh synagogue and opened fire.
"Every time I hear about one of those shootings I'm sickened by them. This one hit very close to home," said Jan Uram.
Uram came to the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts for a Klezmer concert. Klezmer is Eastern European Jewish music.
She lived in Pittsburgh for seven years and knew one of the victim's whose life was taken in the mass shooting.
"A very lovely man, and his brother was also killed," said Uram. "So next week, their elderly parents will be burying two of their children, it's beyond tragic."
But even after this act of hatred, those in the Jewish community are still celebrating their culture.
"We have to be alert at all times in some ways, but we have to live our lives. If we live in fear that's not going to do us any favors and going to let people who want to strike fear in our hearts get what they want," said one man who attended the concert.
Concert goers tell Eyewitness News the biggest way to make a change is through your vote and just maybe then, things will change.
"United States is not a friendly place anymore, it once was. All of us came from someplace else and apparently that's not good enough anymore," added another man.
There was a lot of raw emotion at Sunday night's concert.
