A man prays at a makeshift memorial outside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Oct. 31, 2018. Photo: Reuters / Cathal McNaughton.

Ahead of the second anniversary of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre on Tuesday, a top US Jewish group issued a statement remembering the victims and urging renewed vigorousness in the fight against antisemitism.

“We observe the second anniversary of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history, in which 11 innocent people were murdered simply because they were Jews,” the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations said. “We mourn the lives lost and the senseless carnage wrought upon congregations Tree of Life, Dor Hadash, and New Light two years ago at their shared synagogue, and we stand in solidarity with the Pittsburgh Jewish community.”

“This tragedy ended the age of innocence for American Jewry,” it added. “It can no longer be said that antisemitism will not manifest itself in this country. As we recall the victims and express sympathy to their families, we must also learn from this tragedy and work to prevent further incidents. When Jew-hatred rears its ugly head, there must be action from all levels of government and all sectors of society to counter it and to hold to account perpetrators, inviters, and enablers. The security of our communities and our institutions must be paramount.”

“As we mark this solemn occasion, words and condolences are not enough,” the Conference of Presidents implored. “There must be a meaningful and sustained response from Jews and non-Jews alike. We should not be alone in the fight against the world’s oldest hatred, in America or anywhere else. We must unite to combat the pernicious cancer of antisemitism; together we can neutralize this threat to our community.​​”