Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, is among the first laid to rest after the deadly mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday, NPR reports. His service begins at 11 a.m., following the service for Cecil and David Rosenthal, the two youngest victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Related | Synagogue Shooting Victim Was a Hero to Patients During the AIDS Crisis
Dr. Rabinowitz was born in New Jersey and studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, according to his nephew, Mr. Ostrin. After graduating, he meved to Pittsburgh and opened a small family practice. It was there that he helped treat patients suffering from AIDS-related illnesses, during a time filled with rhetoric that stigmatized patients to the point of medical isolation and death.
"In the old days for HIV patients in Pittsburgh he was to one to go to," ACT UP volunteer Michael Kerr wrote on Facebook in one of many social media posts memorializing Dr. Rabinowitz. "Basically before there was effective treatment for fighting HIV itself, he was known in the community for keeping us alive the longest. He often held our hands (without rubber gloves) and always, always hugged us as we left his office."
He is survived by wife Miri, mother Sally, and his brother, Bill.
Want to help the victims of the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue and their families? You can donate directly to the synagogue through its website, or to a number of crowdfunding projects that have been launched, including this verified GoFundMe effort. The money raised will go towards physical repairs to the building and to the survivors and victims' families.
To learn more about anti-Semitism and how to combat it, visit the Anti-Defamation League's resource on anti-semitism here.
