Tree of Life survivors, family members share stories with Seneca Valley students
Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tears up while interacting with Seneca Valley sophomores after participating in an assembly where survivors and families of the shooting spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
JACKSON TWP — It’s been nearly seven years since Carol Black was fortunate enough to walk out of a pitch-black storage closet after surviving the deadliest attack on Jewish people in American history.
Unfortunately, her brother, Richard Gottfried, and 10 others were killed when a shooter opened fire inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood on Oct. 27, 2018.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Black has since joined a mix of survivors and family members who lost loved ones in speaking out against hate with the Remember, Educate and Combat Hate (REACH) Speakers Bureau, a project put together by the 10.27 Healing Partnership.
“I’ve been given a second chance at life, and I want to make a difference with the years that I have, and doing this is meaningful to me,” she said. “If it makes a difference for the young people who are going to be taking over the world really soon, then it’s important for me to do it.”
Seneca Valley sophomores form a prayer circle with Audrey Glickman, Jodi Kart and Carol Black after an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
More than 500 Seneca Valley Intermediate High School sophomores filed into the auditorium on Friday afternoon, April 25, to hear stories from Black and several others who have devoted their time to uniting the next generation of citizens against antisemitism and other divisive beliefs.
In addition to therapy, the regular sit-down sessions have given Black hope that real progress can be made in the wake of devastating heartbreak.
“If we can get to the students when they’re younger and they can see what happens as a result of all of this hate, maybe we can do something to eliminate it,” she said. “So talking to students, I think, is very important. I want them to see that these things happen to real people and what the consequences are.”
Gottfried was also a beloved husband to Black’s sister-in-law, Margaret Durachko, who has devoted a part of her life to creating lasting change, even as she continues to grapple with the realities of what transpired.
“It took years to get the help that I needed in order to heal,” Durachko said. “I finally do feel like I can proceed with my life without my husband. I want to give back because I was really greatly blessed by all the help that I received and I’d like to be able to share that if I can and that’s why I do this.”
Audrey Glickman, left, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, comforts Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the shooting, while she tells her story during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
The pair were joined by survivor Audrey Glickman and Jodi Kart, who lost her 87-year-old father Melvin Wax in the shooting.
Their message appeared to resonate with the students, who took time to greet and pray with all four women.
“I think that we have so much to learn as a society, but we have the opportunity to grow,” said sophomore Mariana Marino. “These type of talks and chats are the ones that are going to help us grow.”
In the lead-up to the session, students watched a film dubbed “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life,” which documents Pittsburgh’s response to hate in the aftermath of one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the nation’s history.
The importance of education hasn’t been lost on any of the individuals who have committed themselves to speaking out in an effort to prevent senseless tragedies in the future.
“If someone tells you that someone or a certain kind of person is someone to not like, don’t listen to that,” Glickman told students during the presentation. “We are much stronger when we’re together.”
Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, talks with Seneca Valley sophomores after an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Carol Black, left, Audrey Glickman and Margaret Durachko talk with Seneca Valley sophomores after participating in an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Carol Black, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley sophomores form a prayer circle with Audrey Glickman, Jodi Kart and Carol Black after an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, speaks with Seneca Valley sophomores after participating in an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, reacts to the stories of other survivors and families during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley sophomores talk with Audrey Glickman, Jodi Kart and Carol Black after telling their stories during an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, reacts to the stories of other survivors and families during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, gets a hug from a Seneca Valley sophomore after an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, reacts to the stories of other survivors and families during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Carol Black, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Carol Black, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, gets a hug from a Seneca Valley sophomore after an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tears up while telling her story during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, left, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, comforts Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the shooting, while she tells her story during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh speak about their personal experiences during an assembly for sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh speak about their personal experiences during an assembly for sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, talks with Seneca Valley sophomores after an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Carol Black, left, Audrey Glickman and Margaret Durachko talk with Seneca Valley sophomores after participating in an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Carol Black, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley sophomores form a prayer circle with Audrey Glickman, Jodi Kart and Carol Black after an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, speaks with Seneca Valley sophomores after participating in an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, reacts to the stories of other survivors and families during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley sophomores talk with Audrey Glickman, Jodi Kart and Carol Black after telling their stories during an assembly where survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh spoke about their personal experiences at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, reacts to the stories of other survivors and families during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, gets a hug from a Seneca Valley sophomore after an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, reacts to the stories of other survivors and families during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Carol Black, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Carol Black, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, gets a hug from a Seneca Valley sophomore after an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tears up while telling her story during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, left, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, comforts Margaret Durachko, who lost her husband in the shooting, while she tells her story during an assembly where several spoke about their personal experiences in the Tree of Life tragedy at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh speak about their personal experiences during an assembly for sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Survivors and families of the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh speak about their personal experiences during an assembly for sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, is interviewed by WTAE ahead of an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Jodi Kart, who lost her father in the 2018 synagogue shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, tells her story during an assembly where survivors and families of the Tree of Life tragedy speak about their personal experiences to sophomores at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday, April 25, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
