In an event planned in about 24 hours across faiths, around 2,000 people split up between a temple in Boynton Beach and a temple in Jupiter to take a stand together.
“You have to start this kind of relationship when things are good and then when something bad happens you can naturally call each other and organize such a thing in a very short time,” said Rabbi Alon Levkovitz from Temple Beth Am in Jupiter.
Outside Beth Am a visible increase in security. A sad development.
“In Europe you find the synagogues where there’s the army outside defending them,” said Josephine Gon, from the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.
“When one member of the family of the hurts, we all hurt. Tonight, we’re all Jews,” said Rev. Donald T. Finney, from St. Peter Catholic Church in Jupiter.
Tonight was about condemning the hate-racism and antisemitism.
To not stay complacent.
“This community is a better place for your presence in it,” Pastor Kevin Young from Jupiter First Church said to applause.
“Seeing this kind of turnout, this kind of a response reinforces the kind of values that we know we come with,” said Jason Rogers, a worshipper of Temple Beth Am.
Weeks ago, the leaders from their respective houses of worship planned a lunch Wednesday for their interfaith Thanksgiving service.
They met in emergency fashion Monday to plan this.
“We have to do it because if we do not come together to say no to hate no to antisemitism, we agree with what is murder of other people by people who are laden with hate,” Levkovitz said.
The interfaith Thanksgiving service has existed for about 20 years.