REPORTING IN WASHINGTON I’M AMY LU WESH TWO NEWS. REACTIONS CONTINUE TO POUR IN, BOTH FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS AND POLITICAL FIGURES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. WESH TWO NEWS DAVID JONES IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM. AND DAVID, YOU SPOKE TODAY WITH THE CEO OF SHALOM ORLANDO. SHE SAYS THEY’RE STEPPING UP SECURITY MEASURES. SHE ALSO SAYS THE ORGANIZATION IS WORKING TO SUPPORT MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN ISRAEL. SHE SAYS THEIR HOPE IS THAT PEACE COMES TO THE REGION AND QUICKLY, WITH DAMAGE AND CASUALTIES OCCURRING ON BOTH SIDES. IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA IS WATCHING EVENTS PLAY OUT WITH DEEP CONCERN. BUT IT’S REALLY LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS AND THINKING, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET TO A PLACE OF SECURITY AND PEACE? MANDEL IS THE CEO OF SHALOM ORLANDO. SHE NOW LIVES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT JUST TWO YEARS AGO, SHE LIVED IN ISRAEL. ONE OF THE MISSILES LANDED AT ABOUT HUNDRED AND 50M FROM THE BUILDINGS THAT I USED TO LIVE IN, WHERE I HAD CLOSE FRIENDS. SO THERE IS A GREAT AMOUNT OF OF OF FEAR AND NERVOUSNESS FOR WHAT WILL COME. AT THE MOMENT, SHALOM ORLANDO IS STEPPING UP SECURITY BEFORE THE PURIM HOLIDAY AND WORKING TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY LISTENING AND STANDING IN SOLIDARITY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS, CHILDREN WHO DECIDED TO MOVE THERE. SOME ARE IN THE ARMY, SOME HAVE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WHO LIVE THERE. SO THIS IS A VERY PRESENT. THIS IS A VERY PRESENT. CONFLICT AT THE MOMENT. MEANWHILE, CENTRAL FLORIDA POLITICIANS ARE SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE CONFLICT, ABOUT ALLOWING THE IRANIAN PEOPLE TO TAKE FATE INTO THEIR OWN HANDS AND LEAD TO A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION THAT GUARANTEES THE SOVEREIGNTY THAT IRAN DESERVES. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I HAVE FAMILY IN IRAN STILL. AND SO OBVIOUSLY MY FIRST REACTIONS AS WELL WAS JUST HOW IS MY FAMILY? STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI IS THE FIRST IRANIAN AMERICAN ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE IN FLORIDA. SHE SAYS HER FAMILY AND IRAN THIRST FOR FREEDOM. JUST KIND OF BEING ON EDGE TO OBVIOUSLY WANT TO SEE A FREE IRAN, BUT ALSO REALIZING THAT THAT PATHWAY, AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY LEADING, CAN LEAD AND HAS LED TO INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING KILLED. AND THE CEO OF THAT JEWISH ORGANIZATION SAYS THIS EVENING’S NEWS OF STRIKES IN JERUSALEM IS THE EXACT TYPE OF THING THAT JEWISH PEOPLE ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE IN FEAR OF. SH
Central Florida Jewish community concerned amid escalating conflict between Israel, US and Iran
Updated: 10:55 PM EST Mar 1, 2026
Members of the Jewish community in Central Florida are feeling deep concern as the conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran continues to escalate, with a number of them having family or friends who live in Israel.Marni Mandell, the new CEO of Shalom Orlando, sat down to talk about how community members are feeling and what Shalom Orlando is doing to support them.“If you look at the Jewish community, so many people have family, friends, children who decided to move ,” Mandell said. “Some are in the army, some have children and grandchildren who live there. So this is a very present conflict at the moment.” “It’s really looking at all of this and thinking, ‘When are we going to get to a place of security and peace?’” Mandell lived in Israel just over two years ago, and said a recent missile strike hit just 150 meters from her apartment building, where many close friends still reside.“We, as a community, are looking at what goes on there really as if they are, because many of them are, our personal friends and family,” she said.“This is something we want peace and security for, we care tremendously about the citizens of Israel, we care tremendously about the citizens of Iran, we care tremendously about the people affected in Central Florida.”With the Jewish holiday of Purim approaching, Mandell said Shalom Orlando has stepped up security and is coordinating with local law enforcement partners and intelligence agencies.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Members of the Jewish community in Central Florida are feeling deep concern as the conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran continues to escalate, with a number of them having family or friends who live in Israel.
Marni Mandell, the new CEO of Shalom Orlando, sat down to talk about how community members are feeling and what Shalom Orlando is doing to support them.
“If you look at the Jewish community, so many people have family, friends, children who decided to move [to Israel],” Mandell said. “Some are in the army, some have children and grandchildren who live there. So this is a very present conflict at the moment.”
“It’s really looking at all of this and thinking, ‘When are we going to get to a place of security and peace?’”
Mandell lived in Israel just over two years ago, and said a recent missile strike hit just 150 meters from her apartment building, where many close friends still reside.
“We, as a community, are looking at what goes on there really as if they are, because many of them are, our personal friends and family,” she said.
“This is something we want peace and security for, we care tremendously about the citizens of Israel, we care tremendously about the citizens of Iran, we care tremendously about the people affected in Central Florida.”
With the Jewish holiday of Purim approaching, Mandell said Shalom Orlando has stepped up security and is coordinating with local law enforcement partners and intelligence agencies.