Synagogue in North Miami Beach Vandalized With Swastikas

For the second time in as many days, messages of hate targeted members of South Florida’s Jewish community.

Early Monday morning, spray painted swastikas and the word “Hamas” were discovered on the pillars in front of the Congregation Torah Ve’emunah, at 1000 NE 175th Street, in northeast Miami-Dade.

“It was the worst thing that one wants to see on his own place of worship,” said a member of the temple.

A member of the community watch discovered the vandalism around 1 a.m.

“As I was rolling by I noticed some coloring on the wall,” said Yona Lunger. “I back up again, looked again and I said ‘wow, it’s a swastika’. It’s very disturbing, very disturbing.”

On Saturday, a family who lives along Meridian Avenue in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Miami Beach found their cars had been vandalized as they left to attend a service at their synagogue.

“They wrote “Hamas” on the back of the car window and they wrote “Jew,’” said Joshua, who didn’t want us to publish his last name.

The two vehicles were covered with eggs and smeared with cream cheese, but it’s the meaning behind the words that left many in the predominantly Jewish community concerned.

“Since it was a Jewish holiday people were going back and forth and it was the talk of the neighborhood and they were all scared,” added Joshua. “That we have a hate crime in our own Jewish neighborhood.”

“Everyone was shocked,” said Rachel, whose car was also targeted. “No one knew what was going on, we’re like this is America, this is Miami. Why would we be targeted here? We’re supposed to be safe, free from anti-semitism.

With the escalating aggression between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East, some are wondering if the right abroad has now made it to their own home turf.

“It’s terrible and it really shows that the Islamic terrorists have taken this fight to the United States,” said Mark Goldstein.

“I think what has happened here is terrible and it should never happen,” said Pauletta Hayle. “if it happened over there it should stay over there. They shouldn’t bring it here.”

Police are investigating the actions as a potential hate crime and many in the neighborhood are now planning to install surveillance cameras.

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