Sylvan Simon, an 87-year-old man of Jewish ethnicity, was killed on October 27, 2018, at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh during Shabbat morning services. He was one of eleven people who died in the attack; his wife, Bernice Simon, age 84, was also killed that day. The shooting was described as motivated by antisemitism and a hate crime; the attacker, Robert Bowers, had reportedly made antisemitic comments online and was charged federally with multiple counts, including hate crimes and obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs.

In the years after the attack families and the community held vigils and established memorials to honor the victims. Federal prosecutors sought severe penalties in the case and in August 2023 a federal jury recommended the death penalty for Bowers. The violence prompted wider discussion about hate crimes, protections for places of worship, and related public policy questions.

Did anyone who knew Sylvan Simon or his family attend services at Tree of Life and have memories to share that could help remember him?