Miami-Dade takes precautions to protect Jewish community

MIAMI – The Jewish community around the world was on high alert Friday, as the former Hamas chief called for a “Global Day of Rage.” The U.S. designates Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Miami-Dade County said out of an abundance of caution, they’ve partially activated their emergency operation centers. On top of that, Jewish day schools and temples have all increased their security. There’s the security that you can see, and then there’s the security you can’t. 

If you drove around Miami-Dade County Friday, there’s an obvious increase in police presence: Law enforcement vehicles in the middle of busy roads, many stationed in front of temples and schools.

“Because Judaism is a religion, it’s a culture. It’s a homeland, everything is connected,” Temple Emanuel Rabbi Chivezer said. “So when things happen in Israel, it directly influences the American Jews here.”

Former Special Agent with the FBI Stuart Kaplan said there is a real threat to people outside of Israel, Jewish or not, and that was true before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. 

“Let me be clear,” Kaplan said, “there are foreign states, such as Iran, that would love to bring the United States, put all of us on our knees.”

It’s why Rabbi Richard Chizever of Temple Emanuel on South Beach, and every rabbi CBS Miami Reporter Morgan Rynor spoke to Friday said, they are not taking any chances. 

“We have weapons stashed in the synagogue, that are very readily easy to access,” he said. “So anyone who does try, not only do we have armed security, but there will be a lot of people packing a lot of our firepower.”

Further north, the Shul of Bay Harbor is a fortress. 

“All of our members of security were former navy seals, special forces, trained and continue to train on a weekly basis,” Rabbi Lipskar said. Some of his congregants will also be packing. 

The rabbis could have easily told congregants and students to stay home, but the point of the security is to make people feel safe to keep doing what they’re doing. 

“We always tell people if you see something, say something,” Rabbi Bixon of Beth Israel said. “But don’t give up on your Jewishness. Be a proud jew because if you’re not a proud jew during this time, they’ve won.”

It’s why the head of Scheck Hillel Community Day School in North Miami held an assembly Friday morning. 

“We’re shifting a little bit from the pain and the trauma of what happened and moving slightly into the pride activism peace,” Ari Leubitz said. “That our values are going to persevere and the Jewish people are going to persevere”

Shabbat started Friday evening at sundown. It’s the day of rest for Jews and a time when many come together to pray. In the face of fear- these rabbis expect people to show up in numbers.