Vigils held for Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims

(WJBK) - People around the world are praying for the victims of the tragic Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and their families.
    
Candles burned bright as the names of 11 Jewish victims brutally murdered were read aloud in a park in Detroit. 

"We can hold each other in moments of tragedy and sadness," said Sarah Allyn, executive director of Repair the World Detroit.

Vigils took place all over metro Detroit. In West Bloomfield at a teen led service Temple Israel and in Southfield on the campus of Lawrence Tech. 

"We have to demonstrate that that is not what we want our country to be like," said Louis Finkelman, a literature teacher.

"I hope people see that there are this many people grieving over the things that people have done," said student Jacob Huff.

These ceremonies cross lines of faith in an effort of inclusion. 

"Take an example of a neighborhood," said Dr. Virinder K. Mougdgil, president of Lawrence Tech. "If someone has their mailboxes knocked down and a neighbor says ok don't worry about it. they are all going to get knocked down."

No one here has any illusion that an answer to the problem of hateful violence will found in a flickering flame. But they still look for one none the less. 

"I think we have to come together because we are wounded," Finkelman. "But I don't know if that brings any practical benefit to anyone."

They are hoping the next generation will have better luck and vigils like these will no longer be needed. That is one reason Alex Vernon from Windsor brought his children Monday night. 

"They are aware of some of the problems in the world," Vernon. "We just try to put it in some context for them and let them know we are doing the best we can to keep them safe and we need to pray and think about other people and how we can make the world a better place for them."

Toughly 250 people attended the vigil at Capitol park in downtown Detroit.  Organizers hope if there is one message that can be taken from all of this, it is that there is more that unites us then there is that divides us.