Pledge Drive: Tree of Life Synagogue

The city of Pittsburgh suffered a tragic, anti-Semitic attack Saturday, October 27, as 11 members of the Jewish community at Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill fell victim to a horrible act of hatred and violence.

In an effort to help repair the emotional and physical damage done to the families affected and the building itself, we at PensBurgh wanted to show our irrevocable support for our local community and lead a donation-based cause to raise money to help out as much as we possibly can.

What we decided to do was to accept pledges for donations based on what happens in specific Penguins games going forward. It’s a way to make donating a little bit more vested and interactive, provide an easy place to track your pledges, and also be a tribute service to those affected by this terrible attack.

At the end of the proposed pledge period, and after all the games, we will send out emails to everyone with our PayPal and Venmo information and payment instructions. Unfortunately, PayPal and/or Venmo is our only option for donations. That being said, there is a lot time for you to create an account for either service during this process, as it will be going on for a full week. Feel free to write your pledges the spreadsheet right away and figure out the PayPal/Venmo information later on.

Our goal is to raise as much money as we can, and show that the Pittsburgh community can’t been bogged down by hatred and is bonded together with steel-like strength. We hope everyone will join in and help us raise money to donate to a cause that has undoubtedly affected many of the lives of those around us.

Examples of pledges that could be made:

• Tuesday, October 30th: Penguins vs. Islanders — $10 for each goal the Penguins score
• Thursday, November 1: Penguins @ Islanders — $1 for each goalie save
• Saturday, November 3: Penguins vs. Maple Leafs — $5 for every point made by your favorite Pens player
• Flat rate pledges can also be made, if that is what you desire

Here is the link to our Google Doc (available to view and edit) for you to start submitting your pledges. There will be a space for Name, Donation, and Email Address. If you’re not comfortable leaving your information on the sheet, you can definitely feel free to contact me directly by email with your information at kaitd3@gmail.com so that I can document your pledge anonymously.

Our drive will end once the clocks strike midnight Monday, November 5 due to Daylight Saving Time.

Please be aware that there is an honor system in place for all proposed pledges, and we will expect you to follow through once you’ve signed up and written down your pledge. You will also not be able to edit them at the week’s end. Please do not participate unless you’re absolutely sure you can contribute.

If you don’t want to participate in our pledge drive and/or don’t want to create a PayPal or Venmo account, you can make a donation instead at the Tree of Life’s Verified GoFundMe Page.