Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer, the spiritual leader of B'nai Abraham synagogue in Butler, has invited Mark Lepore, a trained counselor and volunteer with the Red Cross mental health section, to discuss “Building Resilience in the Wake of Crisis.”

There's no time limit in dealing with trauma and no one way to move past it.

That's the message Mark Lepore will deliver during his “Building Resilience in the Wake of Crisis” talk at 7 p.m. Sunday at the B'nai Abraham synagogue, 519 N. Main St.

Lepore, a trained counselor and volunteer with the Red Cross mental health section, was invited by Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer, the spiritual leader of B'nai Abraham.

Gray-Schaffer said both her congregation and the greater community are still suffering the after effects of the Oct. 27 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, in which 11 people were killed and seven were injured.

B'nai Abraham was the site of a Nov. 1 vigil attracting more than a dozen pastors of various denominations who joined with the Butler synagogue for an interfaith service and a candlelit walk down Main Street.

Gray-Schaffer led much of that night's ceremony.

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Aftermath

But last week, two months after the vigil, she said she still sees the aftermath of the mass shooting.

“I contacted the Jewish Family and Child Services,” she said. “I have seen evidence that people are still hurting, and I've seen it in the wider community.”

“It's not just the Jewish people and congregants. A lot of people were affected by this,” she said.

“This isn't Pittsburgh, but now this area is always going to be associated with a mass shooting. This is not what Western Pennsylvania thinks about itself,” said Gray-Schaffer.

Lepore, an associate professor of allied health, human services, and rehabilitation on the faculty at Clarion University said, “The topic of resilience is basically as human beings we are profoundly affected by trauma, especially such as what happened at the temple.”

Accept it

Lepore said, “We are going to have to accept it and realize it's probably going to be a lengthy process. And then we are going to take a look at some of the things that can be helpful in dealing with it.”

“Every individual is affected differently and everyone has a different timetable for moving past it,” said Lepore, who has a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and a master's degree in social work from West Virginia University.He's been brought in to talk to the parents of students in the schools surrounding the Tree of Life synagogue helping them recognize signs and symptoms of child trauma.“What also makes an impact is what type of recovery system people develop from something even as horrific as what happened at the temple,” he said.Gray-Schaffer, who knew three of the victims and was locked down in a coffee shop near the Tree of Life that day in October, said, “I am a firm believer in listening at least to a professional to figure out if there is a healing way to deal with the feelings that you have.”Lepore said he will also touch on positive ways of coping with stress of such an event.He said stress can present as a physical symptom such as insomnia, irritability and headaches.“I want to discuss positive coping mechanisms,” said Lepore. “There are coping mechanisms that aren't positive: sleeping too much, overworking, drinking too much.”Gray-Schaffer said Sunday's event is open to the public.“This is for everybody,” she said. “Just like we opened up the vigil to the community, we are opening this up.“After the presentation, I am sure we will ask for questions,” said Gray-Schaffer. “People are affected from what I have seen and heard from my colleagues.”She noted it seemed younger people were moving on from the events at the Tree of Life, but adults seemed to still be feeling the effects.“Their presences or their absence are going to tell us whether people feel they need this,” she said.

WHAT: “Building Resiliency in the Wake of Crisis” program by trained counselor Mark Lepore discussing how the Tree of Life shootings last fall affected the Jewish community here and across the world.WHEN: 7 p.m. SundayWHERE:Congregation B'nai Abraham, 519 N. Main St.INFO:All are welcome to attend and there is no charge. Parking is located in the back and along the alleyway. Do not park in the Armstrong lot.

Mark Lepore