For one patient in The Pitt season 2, the 4th of July fireworks ignite not just severe burn wounds but memories of one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the USA.
In episode 3, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch faces this raw trauma head-on when Yana Kovalenko, the burn victim introduced in episode 1, confesses that her PTSD stems from the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue massacre.
The real-life incident took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, shattering several lives and scarred the area’s Jewish community forever.
As Yana’s story unfolds, Robby’s quiet empathy honors that horror, and the show’s creators have opened up about why they wove this tribute into the gripping medical drama.
The Tree of Life synagogue tragedy claimed eleven lives
Image credits: HBO Max
On October 27, 2018, a man armed with a firearm attacked Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha Congregation, a conservative Jewish synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
The perpetrator, later identified as Robert Bowers, was stationed in front of the building with firearms in his car. He reportedly made antisemitic comments on the website Gab minutes before approaching the synagogue.
Image credits: HBO Max
Three religious services were underway, and 22 people were present inside the building when Bowers opened fire at a window, creating an entrance for himself. He ran into his first victim, Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, who had ventured downstairs from the lobby to investigate the g*nshots.
Rabinowitz was fatally wounded and passed away as Bowers continued his attack and claimed ten more lives while injuring seven others. After a brief standoff with the police, Bowers was injured and decided to surrender. He was found guilty of 63 federal charges and sentenced to death.
Noah Wyle revealed why The Pitt needed to tackle the massacre
Image credits: HBO Max
The incident rocked the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, and it was such a “significant event in the city” that series star and executive producer Noah Wyle felt it had to be addressed on screen.
In an interview with Variety, Wyle, who comes from a Russian-Jewish background and also wrote the episode, shared how he incorporated the real-life tragedy into the show’s fictional narrative.
During research, Wyle was moved by the Muslim community’s efforts to work with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh and grieve and mourn the losses together.
“It was the most underreported aspect of the story, and perhaps the most hopeful moving forward,” he said.
Image credits: The Washington Post/ Getty Images
The detail is reflected in the episode when Yana interacts with Nurse Perlah Alawi, thanking her for the Muslim community’s help to fund the victims’ funerals.
Similarly, executive producer R. Scott Gemmill felt that the massacre was a “very important story to tell,” especially since such details had not made it into the mainstream media.
“You can’t do a medical show, set in Pittsburgh, with a Jewish doctor without addressing that,” he added.
After season 1 featured a similar storyline in the form of the Pitt Fest incident, fans speculated that Dr. Robby might be loosely inspired by the late Dr. Rabinowitz. While the theory remains unconfirmed, episode 3 seems to serve as a tribute to the fallen doctor and the other victims.
Viewers praised The Pitt for its tribute to the Tree of Life victims
Image credits: SOPA Images/Getty Images
Wyle also admitted that the reference to the Tree of Life massacre was an extension of Robby’s struggle with his “lack of faith” and the desire to “have some faith” explored in the first season.
The tribute, therefore, did not feel shoehorned into the narrative, and viewers found it “heartwarming” and well-executed.
Several fans took to Reddit to praise the episode’s handling of the real-life tragedy that affected several lives.
Image credits: HBO Max
“They executed it so well with so much grace!!” one user commented.
Another wrote, “This was done so beautifully, I got teary-eyed.”
“It’s sad that I’m scared to read the comments on this story because antisemitism has become such a big problem in recent years. I’m glad that they are doing something about it on the show,” a third person said.
The Pitt season 2 releases new episodes every Thursday on HBO Max.
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