The executive director of the Tree of Life synagogue in the Pittsburgh suburb of Squirrel Hill is disputing President Joe Biden’s recent assertion that he visited the synagogue after the 2018 shooting.
The New York Post reported that Biden said during a September 2 virtual call with Jewish leaders, “I remember spending time at the, you know, going to the, you know, the Tree of Life synagogue, speaking with them.” But Barb Feige, the synagogue’s executive director, told the Post “no” when asked if Biden ever visited the synagogue since the shooting occurred.
The White House has since claimed that Biden was referring to a phone call he had with the synagogue’s rabbi, Hazzan Jeffrey Myers, in 2019. Myers told WPXI that this call did in fact take place.
“President Biden kindly called me on my cell phone as I was sitting in Dulles Airport awaiting a return flight to Pittsburgh after I testified before Congress in July 2019,” he said. “In a heartfelt way, he extended his condolences and asked how we were doing. We spoke about the challenges of antisemitism, and he made clear he would confront it with us as president. The conversation meant a great deal to me, and I will always be grateful for his kind words and continued support of our community.”
CNN fact-checking reporter Daniel Dale tweeted, “Still, Biden’s comments about ‘spending time at’ and ‘going to’ the synagogue were not true.”
White House says Biden was referring to a 2019 phone call with Tree of Life’s rabbi; the rabbi says in a statement that Biden conveyed condolences and support, and it meant a lot.
Still, Biden’s comments about “spending time at” and “going to” the synagogue were not true.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 3, 2021
Jacob Kornbluh, reporter for The Forward, tweeted: “Before Republicans jump on this Biden lie, Trump also lied — yesterday in a call with religious leaders — about ‘building’ a new US embassy in Jerusalem for $400K.”
And before Republicans jump on this Biden lie, Trump also lied — yesterday in a call with religious leaders — about “building” a new US embassy in Jerusalem for $400K
— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) September 3, 2021
Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks responded to Kornbluh by tweeting: “Here’s a breaking news flash for you, politicians lie! What’s not acceptable is lying by using the memories of those Jews who died at the hands of a terrorist to score political points on a Rosh Hashana call.”
Hey @jacobkornbluh here’s a breaking news flash for you, politicians lie!
What’s not acceptable is lying by using the memories of those Jews who died at the hands of a terrorist to score political points on a Rosh Hashana call https://t.co/TCkJsOrueo— Matt Brooks (@mbrooksrjc) September 3, 2021
Ellie Cohanim, former US Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, similarly tweeted, “The U.S. President lying about something so sacred as visiting the site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history is NOT acceptable. Enough is enough with this man.”
The US President lying about something so sacred as visiting the site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history is NOT acceptable. Enough is enough with this man. #TreeofLife https://t.co/6b5SL59lxJ
— Ellie Cohanim (@EllieCohanim) September 3, 2021
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