Miami Beach's Jewish Community Says Enough Is Enough After California Synagogue Shooting
MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) - Miami-Dade's Jewish community is in disbelief another shooting happened at a synagogue, especially on the final day of Passover.
Saturday, a woman was killed and three others were hurt in a shooting at the Chabad of Poway in Southern California.
"We felt like not talking about what happened in Poway would be tone deaf and irresponsible," President and CEO of Greater Miami Jewish Federation Jacob Solomon said.
He and dozens of others came together Sunday in Miami Beach at the Holocaust Memorial.
"The timing was exquisitely bad, not that it's ever good for a case of violence or hatred," said Solomon.
The initial plan was similar to years past, to light candles in honor of six million Holocaust victims and to appreciate and thank survivors.
The California shooting happened six months to the day after nearly a dozen were killed in Pittsburgh. The Jewish community here says enough is enough.
"That concerns me enormously. In fact, I mean, anti-Semitism has been around for thousands of years," Solomon said.
Understandably, this community is concerned. So, Miami Beach police officers say they're here to make sure people in places of worship feel safer.
"We have stepped up our security measures. Obviously, we cannot discuss what our security measures are but we want to reassure the Jewish community that we have a plan in place," Det Shantell Mitchell said.
Solomon says he needs all of South Florida's help protecting people in their places of worship.
"If they do nothing, we are in danger of having history repeat itself," he said.
Police confirmed there was an increased security presence at Sunday's ceremony. Looking ahead, police wouldn't say how long they will be on high alert at Jewish facilities and synagogues.