A rendering of what the new Tree of Life building, currently under construction, will look like. (Image courtesy of Lifang Vision Technology)

By Riley Dunn, Pittsburgh Business Times

A grant of $2.5 million was gifted to The Tree of Life institution by their longstanding partners the Richard King Mellon Foundation this past Thursday. 

The grant will go toward supporting building programs and exhibitions at The Tree of Life institution, working toward their mission of transforming the site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in United States history into a place of remembrance, education and celebration of Jewish life and culture. 

According to Carole Zawatsky, CEO of The Tree of Life, the institution is “incredibly grateful” for the foundation’s continued support. The foundation had previously committed $1 million to the institution in 2022 to support the rebuilding efforts of The Tree of Life synagogue, after the attack on Oct. 27, 2018 left 11 Jewish worshipers dead and forever changed the Pittsburgh and Jewish communities. 

“Our mission to uproot antisemitism and hate is of the utmost importance at this moment,” Zawatsky said in a release. “We are incredibly grateful for the Foundation’s generosity and continued support, which is symbolic of our core belief that antisemitism is an American problem and all of us – Jewish and not – must work together to counter it.”

The grant comes a week after the launch of The Tree of Life’s traveling exhibition, “Lessons from The Tree of Life: Lighting the Path Forward,” which opened at its second stop in the Maltz Museum in Beachwood, Ohio on May 21. The exhibition will run until August 3 and features items given to the Pittsburgh Jewish community after the 2018 attack. 

It is exhibitions like this one that The Tree of Life seeks to promote, hoping that they will challenge visitors to reflect on the impact of antisemitism in the United States. 

“The Tree of Life continues to lead in their efforts to build relationships across differences through impactful and innovative programs,” Sam Reiman, director and trustee at the Richard King Mellon Foundation, said in a release. 

Reiman also emphasized the need to invest in education and foster connections with local communities. 

The Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and also ranks as one of the top 50 largest philanthropic foundations in the world. The foundation has built a lasting relationship with The Tree of Life over the years in part because of the shared goals of social change and community impact. 

“Our community is incredibly thankful for the continued support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation,” Michael Bernstein, chair of the board at The Tree of Life, said in a release. “Our bold vision to realize a future where our children live without fear of antisemitism depends on partners like this who support our work.”

Riley Dunn is a student at the University of Iowa and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns.