MIAMI – The Jewish high holidays begin Wednesday at sunset and many in South Florida’s Jewish community are on edge.
Increased security has been the norm at places of worship since the attacks last year on Oct. 7 by Hamas.
The already daily measures of security at synagogues across South Florida have been ramped up, as heightened awareness both locally and globally of pervasive threats continues.
6 p.m. report:
“We’re proud that we’re Jewish and we’re not backing down,” said Rabbi Mendel Sossonko from Beis Hamedrash Levi Yitzchok in Miami Beach. “We feel secure, we feel safe, we want Jews to be proud and open that they’re Jewish.”
Local 10 News’ Glenna Milberg visited several of the biggest and most popular synagogues in Miami-Dade and Broward. Surveillance cameras, metal detectors and armed guards were a constant theme.
In some areas, police doubled their presence.
“I have a security guard here in my synagogue always to make sure that we are safe here,” said Sossonko. “We have members in our synagogue that also take precautions themselves.”
Local 10 also checked with several of South Florida’s law enforcement agencies and none of them said there have been any specific threats toward any people or facilities.