Pressed by CNN’s Alisyn Camerota to take the bait and denounce President Donald Trump’s proposed visit to his synagogue, Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, whose house of faith was senselessly violated Saturday by a gunman who killed 11 Jewish worshippers, took the exact opposite tack.
President Trump has talked about coming to Pittsburgh and coming to your synagogue in the aftermath of this. Do you want him to come?” Camerota asked.
"The President of the United States is always welcome. I am a citizen, he is my president. He is always welcome,” Myers said, adding that he doesn’t blame anyone but the shooter for last weekends violence as hate “does not know religion, race, creed political party.”
.@CNN asks Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers if @realDonaldTrump is welcome at his synagogue after Saturday's shooting.
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) October 29, 2018
Myers: "The President of the United States is always welcome. I am a citizen, he is my president. He is always welcome.”https://t.co/pfSMeNrRdI pic.twitter.com/SiI0xdpGhh
Myers' comments break from about a dozen other Pittsburgh Jewish leaders, including former Tree of Life synagogue president Lynette Lederman, who called Trump a " “purveyor of hate speech" and said she has no intention of welcoming him to her city.