Pittston, PA– WVIA invites the community to attend a powerful and inspiring event by announcing two free public screenings of the documentary Repairing the World: Stories From the Tree of Life. This moving film explores the resilience of the Pittsburgh synagogue community in the aftermath of the tragic 2018 shooting that claimed the lives of eleven victims and wounded six, including several Holocaust survivors. WVIA will host two free screenings. The documentary screenings will be made even more meaningful by the presence of several special guests from Pittsburgh (details outlined below).
- Monday, April 8th at 6:30 PM at the Friedman Jewish Community Center, Kingston
- Tuesday, April 9th at 6:30 PM at the Scranton Jewish Community Center
Free reservations are available at www.wvia.org/events.
Special guests attending the documentary screenings include Alan and Stanley Mallinger; sons of Rose Mallinger, one of the Tree of Life shooting victims. Their sister Andrea Wedner was shot and wounded, but survived. Andrea Wedner and her husband, Ron will attend the Kingston screening. Alan and Stanley Mallinger will attend both Kingston and Scranton events. These courageous individuals will share their stories of loss, healing, strength, and what it means to be “stronger than hate.”
Additional special guests include Rabbi Larry Kaplan (Kingston) and Attorney David Fallk (Scranton). Following each screening, there will be a facilitated discussion, offering a space for reflection and community dialogue.
"Repairing the World is a powerful testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome tragedy,” stated WVIA President & CEO, Carla McCabe. “By sharing these stories and offering a platform for open conversation, WVIA hopes to inspire unity, empathy, and a renewed commitment to creating a more peaceful world, not just here in our region, but globally.”
WVIA encourages everyone to attend these free screenings. This is a chance to honor the victims of the Tree of Life tragedy, connect with our community, and explore the ongoing pursuit of healing and a brighter future. In the fall of last year, WVIA made a commitment to being an integral part of that pursuit, launching a new multi-faceted initiative called We Stand Against Hate. The goal is to encourage awareness about hate and extremism, and facilitate community conversations about the topic of hate in our region. This initiative began with the release of Holocaust Warnings, a WVIA Special Program, in September.
“This story of hope from PIttsburgh shows we can do something to stop the spread of hate, and our local communities are places where we can effectively make a change that can be felt in people’s lives,” said Filmmaker Patrice O’Neill, leader of Not in Our Town (NIOT), the globally recognized team that for over two decades has produced films on community response to hate.
These events are free to the public, but registration is requested. Information and registration details can be found here. Support for these events was provided by The Wyncote Foundation and Not In Our Town.
About WVIA
WVIA is the PBS and NPR affiliate serving over 22 counties in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. For over 50 years WVIA has been committed to serving the people by offering informational, educational, and entertaining content that enriches and expands viewpoints and serves as a catalyst for positive change. WVIA television channels include WVIA TV, WVIA PBS Kids 24/7, and WVIA Create. WVIA’s radio channels include WVIA Radio, WVIA HD2, and the Chiaroscuro Channel. WVIA’s programs can also be found streaming live and on-demand on wvia.org and the WVIA app.
WVIA Mission
WVIA educates, inspires, entertains and fosters citizenship, diverse cultures, and perspectives to nurture community.