In the wake of the murder of Rabbi Joseph Raksin, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Anti-Defamation League and Rabbinical Association of Miami announced Thursday new, enhanced security at orthodox synagogues and institutions in South Florida.
“There seems to be a desire for it and a need for it, for some concrete measures for some practical solutions,” said Hava Holzhauer of the Anti-Defamation League. “So that is where we are putting our hands and putting our assistance.”
The orthodox patrol their community in addition to the local police. The orthodox patrol uses personal cars and keeps people updated through a website. Organizer Yona Lunger is also teaching people about guns.
“We want to make sure they know how to use it,” said Lunger. “So we are offering free training for several individuals on how to maneuver. We are asking them to be more vigilant, not be vigilantes.”
The new security measures come less than a week after Rabbi Joseph Raksin was shot and killed while walking to his North Miami Beach temple. Police say Raksin was approached by two men, who shot him after an altercation.
“The murder of a rabbi walking to Schul is a jolt in America, in South Florida, where we live so freely, where we have our religious freedom,” said Holzhauer.
Some in the community believe it was a hate crime. Police said they are investigating all possible leads in the case.
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"We need the community, we need them to call us, we need them to be our eyes and our ears," Miami-Dade Police spokeswoman Delma Noel-Pratt said, after a closed-door meeting with the community Wednesday night. "Working together, that's the only way that we're going to be able to get things like this solved."
“If you know who did that, we will reward you,” said Lunger. “You will have 50,000 reasons to come forward.”
If you have any information about the murder of Rabbi Raksin, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
