United Against Hate Week Film: Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life

Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities (SCCUSIC), in partnership with Temple Beth El, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, presents the documentary REPAIRING THE WORLD: Stories From the Tree of Life at the 418 Project (former Riverfront Theater).

Join in the discussion after the movie with filmmaker Patrice O’Neill and panelists Rabbi Paula Marcus and Sylvia Morales, director of the Resource Center for Nonviolence.

Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life documents a community’s response to hate and antisemitism in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy: the assault on three congregations at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA on October 27, 2018. Eleven lives were taken in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The trauma and grief of that day continues to affect the entire Pittsburgh community and the nation to this day.

In the wake of the tragedy the Jewish community and their neighbors strengthened their bonds of mutual respect and compassion and courageously confronted this hate crime. Against a backdrop of increasing polarization, the traumatized community has come together to heal from the impact of anti-Semitism, racism, hate speech, and gun violence.

Through the voices of survivors, family members, diverse Pittsburgh residents, and community leaders, the film shows a powerful display of unity in a moment of crisis and demonstrates what it means for a community to be “Stronger than Hate.”  

Documentary feature, USA, 2022. Running time 2  hours, 2 minutes. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2022 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.