Giant Menorah and Dreidel Vandalized in Miami Won’t Ruin Holiday Spirit (VIDEO)
by Zach Pontz
A sad story will have a happy ending in Miami Beach. Over the weekend a giant menorah and dreidel—both covered in seashells— on display in Miami were vandalized; someone wrote “You Killed Jesus” along the stone in front of the two prominent Hanukkah symbols. But Rabbi Zev Katz, the head rabbi of the Miami Beach Chabad house responsible for the display, says that the vandals’ act of intolerance has rallied the community.
“It was a very negative thing that is now turning into something positive because I’ve been flooded with emails and phone calls,” he said “Originally Jewish people didn’t even know about the menorah, now so many more do because of the news last night (a local TV station covered the story) announcing the menorah lighting on the first night of Hanukkah, so we’re getting so many emails and hits on our website from people saying they want to come, to bring all their friends; they want to show their support, saying that ‘we can’t stand for this,’ so it’s turned into something positive.”
As for the vandals nobody has been caught, but a report was filed and the police are hard at work. “They’re looking at the cameras that are surrounding the businesses around there and hoping to find them,” says Katz.
A video of a local news report on the event can be viewed below: