Hanukkah begins amid tragedy; SWFL Jews and law enforcement stand strong

The first candle on the menorah was lit Sunday night, marking the start of Hanukkah celebrations worldwide. However, the holiday began under the shadow of a tragic mass shooting on Bondi Beach in Australia, where 15 people were killed and more than 40 others were injured. The Australian prime minister has called the attack an act of anti-Semitic terrorism.

In Southwest Florida, the incident has brought safety and security to the forefront for local law enforcement and religious leaders. Despite the tragedy, they are determined not to let terrorism overshadow the hope and light that Hanukkah represents.

"If we don't come out and we stay hidden, the terrorists won, so we have to come out, stand strong, have faith, bring the light for ourselves, for our families and for our community," said Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz of Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida.

Rabbi Minkowicz shared that the local community gathered for a beautiful celebration at Castle Golf for the fist night of Hanukkah, despite the recent shooting in Australia.

"We had a beautiful celebration last night at Castle Golf. The community came out to celebrate, and people were concerned, 'are they going to come out? Are they not going to come out?' You know, because of what happened in Australia. But thank God, people came out. People are strong," said Minkowicz.

In response to the Australia attack, the Lee County Sheriff's Office has increased patrols and visibility in Jewish communities and gathering areas as a precaution.

"We continuously work with our community partners to ensure the safety of our residents. Sheriff Carmine Marceno encourages anyone who sees something to say something and make the call to us. The safety and security of our residents will always be our top priority. LCSO wishes a safe and happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate," said the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

In an interview with WINK News, Captain John Heck with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office shared similar efforts to keep the community safe.

"We heightened our patrols... We're also in contact with the rabbis themselves from a couple of the Chabad houses, and also with Temple Shalom in Port Charlotte. We're also in contact with the Secure Community Network, which also provides us updates to any of the Jewish holidays or any threats or any information they receive," said Heck.

The Collier County Sheriff's Office also addressed the situation, affirming its commitment to community safety.

"Sheriff Rambosk’s top priority is the safety of our community," said the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. "We have longstanding partnerships with our faith-based community, and we have a thorough safety plan in place. Details of the plan are tactical, but we can tell you that we have developed no information of escalating safety threats locally, including our religious facilities. We constantly monitor global situations and adjust our prevention and response tactics as appropriate. As is always the case, we ask the community to partner with us in keeping everyone safe. It's always important to let law enforcement know about unusual activity. Call law enforcement if you see anything that doesn't seem right. We'll check it out. Together we can keep Collier County safe."

Local law enforcement is urging residents to remain vigilant and report any unusual activity to help ensure community safety during this sensitive time.

"I think at the end of the day, they just need to watch their surroundings and see what's going on," said Heck. "If they see anything out of the norm or someone just doesn't look like they belong there, just give us a call and let us check them out."