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          Patriots owner Robert Kraft visits Tree of Life Synagogue

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterDec 16, 2018, 12:39 PM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          PITTSBURGH -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft traveled to Pittsburgh a day early for his team's game against the Steelers and visited the Tree of Life Synagogue, where 11 people were killed by a gunman on Oct. 27.

          Kraft, who is Jewish, paid his respects at the site of the shooting and then attended services with the congregation at its temporary location along with his son Josh.

          During the service, Kraft was called to the bimah to speak and relayed that while Sunday's game was a big one, it meant more to him to be with the congregation.

          Kraft then surprised a boy, Max, who was having his bar mitzvah by giving him four tickets to the Patriots-Steelers game.

          Also, Patriots receiver Julian Edelman acknowledged the significance of being in Pittsburgh by tweeting the names of those killed in the shooting. Edelman's father, Frank, is Jewish. He also plans to wear "My Cause, My Cleats."