MIAMI – Joseph Waks recently arrived in Jerusalem from Miami to visit his son who is studying in Israel.
He was there when missiles from Iran began filling the night sky.
In a video he recorded, Waks races to a bomb shelter while narrating his journey to try and reach safety.
“Just imagine if that was happening back home in Miami,” he said.
And then there is Bernie Fagenblat, who is from Aventura but is currently living in Tel Aviv.
“It’s like you’re in a movie,” he said.
Back here in South Florida, Jeff Levine is the executive vice president of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and he spoke to Local 10 News’ Rosh Lowe.
“There are 130,000 Jews who live in Miami and about 7,000 contributors to the federation,” he said.
The Consul General of Israel in Miami, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, said he’s concerned about the loss of life in his home country, all while fearing for his own family.
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His elderly parents, sister and nephews were all forced to seek shelter themselves.
Elbaz-Starinsky gives them the same advice he gives other South Floridians now caught in the middle of the deadly war.
“I first and foremost tell them to be safe,” he said. “Listen to the orders that are given by the Home Front Command. When needed, be in the safe room. When the sirens go off, make sure you find shelter.”
There are close ties between South Florida and Israel, with many volunteer soldiers from South Florida, including Levine’s son, who serves in the Israeli Defense Force.
Local 10′s Trent Kelly contributed to this report.