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While mass shootings at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue were still in the news, the Jewish community in South Florida joined Shabbat services across the country to remember the 11 people killed.
Rabbi Michael Gold spent six years in a synagogue in the suburbs of Pittsburgh before heading to Beth Torah Temple Sha & # 39; aray Tzedek in Tamarac. The situation is a little closer to home.
"We Jews do not insist on death, we insist on life," he said in his sermon Saturday morning after reading the names of the dead and wounded and observed a moment of silence.
"And yet, from time to time, someone from the dark to believe in death rather than in life," he said.
That's one reason why two Broward sheriff's deputies and a private security guard were outside, said Sherry Klawsky, president of the synagogue's security.
"We have to do our best in this new environment in which we live, and it's not easy at all," she said. "You try to mitigate the risks, become aware of your environment and try to be as safe as possible."
Thus, groups such as the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Federations of North America organized #ShowUpForShabbat and Solidarity Shabbat for a demonstration of unity, and many denominations responded to this call.
"We must mourn the victims, and we should do so with our friends and allies in the Jewish community and beyond," said Brian Siegal, director of the AJJ in Miami and Broward.
Hundreds of people traveled to Plantation on Friday night to attend a candlelight ceremony at the Ramat Shalom Synagogue and a service at Kol Ami Emanu-El Temple.
Melanie Farber, a resident of Coral Springs, does not usually attend Shabbat on Saturday morning, but she turned to social media to invite people to join the movement.
"I invited other friends on Facebook to join me, who do not have synagogues," she said. "To join, to meet, to show unity."
Art Langer, also from Coral Springs, said seeing signs of hope.
"I think people are reacting positively," he said. "I wish our leaders respond a little more appropriately."
Eleven people were shot dead and six others wounded, including four police officers, during a religious service siege in the Synagogue of the Tree of Life on October 27. Pittsburgh police arrested and charged Robert Bowers.
Since the mass shootings, memorial services and vigils have been held throughout the country, including the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial, Weston's B & Aviv, Chabad Weston Center for Jewish Life. , Judea Temple at Coral Gables, Shaaree Shalom Temple at Boynton Beach, Beth Am Temple at Jupiter, Nai Torah Congregation at Boca Raton, Dor Va-Dor Congregation at Boynton Beach and other local Jewish institutions .
[email protected] or 954-356-4303 or Twitter @WayneRoustan
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