"Farkas urged Jews across Los Angeles to not be deterred. The whole point of terrorism is to terrify Jews from coming together, he said, noting it was no coincidence that Hanukkah takes place during the darkest nights of the year. When the evening lights are at their darkest, that's when we light candles down here on Earth, he said. And we add light to light over the course of the week."
"All Federations and their community security initiatives are on full alert for the Chanukah celebrations in their communities, working with all our law enforcement partners, the organization said in a statement. Our community will never retreat in the face of hatred, and will never refrain from carrying on our Jewish traditions. Rather, we will use every tool at our disposal to make sure our communities are safe and that our lights burn all the brighter."
"The Los Angeles Police Department also said Sunday morning that it was deeply saddened by the shooting in Sydney and would provide extra patrols at Jewish places of worship, schools and Hanukkah celebrations across L.A. While there is no known threat to Los Angeles at this time, the LAPD remains vigilant and committed to protecting our diverse communities, the department said in a message on X."
A mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney killed at least 15 people, prompting concern among Jewish families in Los Angeles. Rabbi Noah Farkas received numerous calls from parents asking whether it was safe to gather or bring children to synagogues. Farkas urged the community to continue celebrating and resist terror by coming together, invoking Hanukkah's symbolism of adding light during dark nights. Synagogues increased security and Jewish federations coordinated with law enforcement to ensure safety at events. The Los Angeles Police Department announced extra patrols at Jewish worship sites, schools and Hanukkah gatherings while noting no known local threat.
Read at www.latimes.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]