Inseparable in life, brothersDavidandCecil Rosenthalwere memorialized together on Tuesday during the first funerals and burials for the11 people killed Saturday in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue.
Rabinowitz’s family recalled his great sense of humor to PEOPLE. Rabinowitz, 66, “always wore a bowtie,” his nephew, Avisai Ostrin, told PEOPLE. “There is just something about guys who were bowties. Something youthful, something fun. His laughter with his chest heaving up and down, with a huge smile on his face? That was Uncle Jerry.”
Courtesy Avishai Ostrin
At the joint service for the Rosenthal brothers, their two wooden caskets were placed at the front of Congregation Rodef Shalom’s sanctuary beneath a high arch that displayed the Jewish profession of faith, “Hear O Israel, the Eternal is our God, the Eternal is One,” reports thePost-Gazette.
Cecil, 59, had an “infectious” laugh, while David, 54, displayed “a strong faith and respect for everyone” that characterized both of the “extraordinary men,” according to those at ACHIEVA, an agency where they each benefitted from services for individuals with disabilities.
“They were special-needs people and the synagogue embraced them,” Alvin Berkun, a Rabbi Emeritus at Tree of Life who knew the brothers for 35 years, told PEOPLE. “It was really heartwarming to see the way they thrived.”
Tree Of Life - Or L’Simcha Congregation/Facebook
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On Monday, after being treated for gunshot wounds suffered during the violence at the synagogue, shooting suspectRobert Bowers, 46, was in court where he faces 29 criminal charges that include obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs, a hate crime for which federal authorities said they intend to pursue the death penalty,reportsThe New York Times.
A Tree of Life congregation member who lives across the street from the synagogue, Dr. Jeff Cohen, is also president of Allegheny General Hospital where the suspect was treated. In addition to the11 fatalities— which included a husband-and-wife, a grandfather of three, and a 97-year-old woman — six others were injured, including four responding police officers.
“When he got out of the ambulance, I was told that he was screaming ‘Kill all the Jews,’ ” Cohen told PEOPLE. “His nurse was Jewish, and his doctor in the emergency room was Jewish, and I’m Jewish.”
“We just did what we do here,” Cohen said. “We take care of patients. We don’t ask questions. So we took care of him.”
At his court appearance, Bowers was denied bail and will remain in custody until his next court hearing Thursday, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady told reporters afterward, according toUPI.
“Our investigation of these hate crimes continues,” Brady said. “Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims’ families and with the community. And rest assured, we have a team of prosecutors working hard to ensure that justice is done.”
source: people.com
