Society & CultureDocumentaryReligion & SpiritualityJudaism

October 27th

Aliza Becker & Noah Schoen

October 27th is a podcast that tells the story of the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting through the voices of the local community.

Each episode introduces us to the story of a person who experienced the synagogue shooting and its aftermath: survivors and family members of those who were killed, Jewish community members, and their non-Jewish neighbors.

October 27th is adapted from Meanings of October 27th, an oral history project that interviewed over 100 Pittsburghers about their life stories and reflections on the shooting.

Visit the oral history archive: https://october27archive.org/oral-histories

Donate to support this project: https://bardian.bard.edu/register/meanings

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19 episodes
weekly
Avg 26 min
English

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#18
Tuesday · 24 min
Wasi
Wasi Mohamed was the director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh at the time of the synagogue shooting. In this episode, Wasi reflects on his early years growing up Muslim in Harrisburg, PA and his college years at the University of Pittsburgh. In his role as the director of the Islamic Center—his first job out out of college—he actively and vocally expressed the Muslim community’s solidarity with the Jewish community after the synagogue shooting. For Wasi, it was his pre-existing relationships with Jews that empowered him to show up for his friends and colleagues. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Wasi Mohamed on February 1st, 2020 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/wasiullah-wasi-mohamed To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#16
September 9 · 32 min
Dina
Dina Rayzberg is a Jewish community member who moved to Pittsburgh in 1997 to raise her family. In this episode, Dina recounts her experiences growing up Jewish in the Soviet Union, where the practice of Judaism was strictly forbidden, and her subsequent migration to the United States, where she became an active member of the Jewish community. Dina’s perspectives on Jewish life, antisemitism, and the synagogue shooting are shaped by the strong repression of Judaism in her childhood and the vibrant Jewish life she cultivated in Pittsburgh as an adult. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Dina Rayzberg on December 7th, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. The full, unedited interview will be made available soon at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#15
September 2 · 27 min
Nina
Nina Butler is a prominent member of the Pittsburgh Jewish community and volunteer with several organizations that responded to the October 27th, 2018 synagogue shooting. In this episode, she traces her early life path: her adoption of observant Judaism, move to Pittsburgh after marriage, and the birth of her children, several of whom have developmental disabilities. Nina’s response to the synagogue shooting was shaped by her personal connection to Cecil and David Rosenthal, her role on the chevra kadisha, and her emphasis on the many acts of chesed that followed the violent attack. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Nina Butler on December 5th, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/nina-butler To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#14
August 26 · 26 min
Michelle
Michelle Kenney is the mother of Antwon Rose II, a 17-year-old who was shot and killed by a policeman on June 19, 2018. In this episode, Michelle recounts her upbringing in a steel town just outside Pittsburgh as the child of an interracial marriage with Black Christian and White Jewish family members. Her experience of the synagogue shooting was deeply shaped by the murder of her son just four months prior. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker with Michelle Kenney on November 16th, 2021 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#13
February 10 · 25 min
Drew
Drew Medvid was a student at the University of Pittsburgh at the time of the October 27th, 2018 synagogue shooting. In this episode he reflects on his learning journey about the Jewish experience, from key relationships with Jews growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina to his time at Pitt. Drew discusses his reactions to the synagogue shooting and relates what he has learned about antisemitism to his experience as a trans man. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Drew Medvid on September 15th, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. The full, unedited interview will be made available soon at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#12
February 4 · 29 min
Reva
Reva Simon was a lifelong Pittsburgher and devoted member of Congregation New Light. In this episode, she describes the Jewish communities of her childhood with striking detail. Reva was driving to morning services when the synagogue shooting occurred, and she reflects on the impact of the shooting and remembers her fellow congregants—Rich Gottfried, Dan Stein, and Melvin Wax—who were killed that day. She passed away on October 12, 2019, and is interred at Pliskover Cemetery. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Reva Simon on August 5th, 7th, and 9th of 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. The full, unedited interview will be made available soon at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#11
January 20 · 21 min
Ira
Ira Frank is a small business owner who is involved with many synagogues and Jewish communal organizations across Pittsburgh. In this episode, he recounts a life spent in the Pittsburgh Jewish community and shares his perspective on the limits and and the possibilities of our efforts to resist antisemitism. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker and Noah Schoen with Ira Frank on August 4th, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/ira-frank To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#10
January 13 · 28 min
Jasiri
Jasiri X is a hip-hop artist, activist, and a co-founder of 1Hood and 1Hood Media. In this episode, Jasiri shares his journey of learning about Jewish people and antisemitism as it has interwoven with his life and work of advocating for racial and economic justice. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Jasiri X on September 6th, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. The full, unedited interview will be made available soon at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#9
January 6 · 27 min
Cheryl
Cheryl Moore is a member of Rodef Shalom, a Reform synagogue in Pittsburgh. In this episode, she tells the story of a lifetime spent in the Pittsburgh Jewish community, from her own childhood to raising Jewish children. With a particular focus on the interrelatedness of antisemitism and racism, Cheryl reflects on the trauma of the synagogue shooting and several other incidents of discrimination that shaped her life and perspective on the world. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Cheryl Moore on February 4th, 2020 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. The full, unedited interview will be made available soon at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#8
Dec 30, 2025 · 19 min
Upendra
Upendra Dahal is a political refugee from Bhutan who worked for the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh on October 27th, 2018. In this episode, he traces his life journey from growing up in Bhutan, to 15 years in a Nepalese refugee camp, and finally to being resettled in the United States. Upendra also reflects on the role of the Jewish community in resettling many Bhutanese refugees in Pittsburgh and shares his perspective on the synagogue shooting. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker with Upendra Dahal on June 17, 2021 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/upendra-dahal To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org.
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#7
Dec 16, 2025 · 31 min
Dan
Dan Leger is a member of Congregation Dor Hadash and a survivor of the October 27th, 2018 synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. In this episode, he shares about growing up in Pittsburgh, his Jewish path, his experience on the day of the shooting, and his healing journey that followed. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Dan Leger on February 4th, 2020 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/dan-leger To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
- Transcript
Dec 10, 2025 · 31 min
Bonus Episode: Aliza and Noah
This bonus episode features an interview that October 27th podcast co-founders Aliza Becker and Noah Schoen recorded with Susan Scott Peterson, a journalist and producer at 90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR affiliate. A shorter version of this interview aired on the radio on October 27th, 2025. Thanks to Susan and 90.5 WESA, we are honored to share more of that conversation with you now. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#6
Oct 27, 2025 · 26 min
Rabbi Admon
Rabbi Elisar Admon led the Chevra Kadisha that prepared the bodies of the eleven victims of the October 27th, 2018 synagogue shooting for Jewish burial. In this episode, he recounts how his brother’s death as a young boy inspired him to a life of service. Rabbi Admon moved to the United States in the mid-2000s to build bridges between American Jews and Israel. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker with Rabbi Admon on September 18, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/rabbi-elisar-admon To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#5
Oct 26, 2025 · 25 min
Naomi
Naomi Kitchen was an Allderdice High School student in Pittsburgh at the time of the shooting. In this episode, she reflects on her transition from Jewish day school to a more diverse high school environment, her experiences as a Jew of color, what it was like to be in Israel the day of the shooting, and her reflections on its aftermath back at school. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker with Naomi on March 10, 2021 over Zoom for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. The full interview can be accessed by making an in-person request at the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#4
Oct 26, 2025 · 30 min
Tracy
Tracy Baton is a progressive political activist who grew up in close contact with members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community. In this episode she shares about her involvement in several community responses to the synagogue shooting on October 27th, 2018 and reflects on antisemitism and racism. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker with Tracy on December 7, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is a project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/tracy-baton To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#3
Oct 26, 2025 · 30 min
Alan
Alan Mallinger is a son of Rose Mallinger, who was killed during the October 27th, 2018 synagogue shooting, and a brother of Andrea Wedner, who was injured in the attack. In this episode he shares about his life in the Pittsburgh Jewish community, recounts his experience of the synagogue shooting and its aftermath, and remembers his mother. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Alan on October 11, 2021 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is a project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/alan-mallinger To request a speaker from the REACH Speakers Bureau, a group of family members and survivors who share their stories with students, schools, and organizations, visit https://1027healingpartnership.org/reach/. To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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#2
Oct 26, 2025 · 25 min
Clara
Clara Gourley was born and raised in New Bethlehem, PA, a small town north of Pittsburgh. In this episode, which was recorded when she was a senior in high school, she reflects on the strengths and struggles of her community and shares about her commitment to remembering the Holocaust and addressing antisemitism. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Noah Schoen with Clara on December 11, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is managed by the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/clara-gourley To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
- Transcript
#1
Oct 26, 2025 · 25 min
Audrey
Audrey Glickman is a member of the Tree of Life Congregation and a survivor of the October 27th, 2018 synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. In this episode, she shares about growing up Jewish in Pittsburgh and her experience of surviving the attack and its aftermath. This episode is adapted from an oral history interview conducted by Aliza Becker with Audrey on December 9, 2019 for the Meanings of October 27th oral history project. You can listen to the full unedited interview at The October 27 Archive website, which is a project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center: https://october27archive.org/profiles/audrey-glickman Click here to purchase Audrey’s book Pockets: The Problem With Society is in Women’s Clothing: https://www.amazon.com/Pockets-Problem-Society-Womens-Clothing/dp/1633853292 To learn more or to donate to help us create more episodes like this one, visit october27podcast.org
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Oct 22, 2025 · 7 min
Introduction
Meet Aliza and Noah and learn why we decided to make this podcast.
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