Tree of Life memorial
© Reuters / Cathal McNaughton/C-SpanA makeshift memorial outside the Tree of Life synagogue.
A 'Christian Rabbi' who offered prayers for victims of the Pittsburgh massacre failed to mention them by name and called upon people to pray for the GOP. Americans didn't appear to find it patriotic.

Vice President Mike Pence held the rally in the Waterford Township of Detroit. It took place less than 48 hours after the Pittsburgh Synagogue tragedy and was opened by a rabbi who held a prayer to honor the victims.

Rabbi Loren Jacobs represents the Messianic synagogue Shema Yisrael based in Michigan. Though the followers call themselves members of Messianic Judaism, a combination of Christianity and Judaism, many of the main Jewish movements refuse to accept them as 'true' Jews.

Pence couldn't possibly "have done something more offensive to Jews" than choose Jacobs to open the rally, people on Twitter were quick to point out.





Many wondered why Pence, a Evangelical Christian, refused to invite "an actual rabbi" to the event and slammed the "utter absence of humanity in the [US] administration."



Others blamed Pence for exploiting the tragedy that took the lives of 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh this weekend, and claimed that he wants to mock Jewish traditions.



With things already not in his favor, Jacobs, during his speech dedicated to the Pittsburgh massacre, failed to mention the victims' names. Instead he 'patriotically' urged the people to pray for the Republicans and President Donald Trump.





It also seems that Pence didn't even know who Jacobs was before the scandal started unfolding. All procedures were organized by GOP candidate Lena Epstein who in a lengthy statement explained her motivation, assuming that "we must unite as a nation - while embracing our religious differences."