THE GLOBE, WHILE U.S. STOCKS SLIGHTLY GAINED. NOW, ALL OF THIS VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST COMES DURING TWO IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS FOR TWO DIFFERENT RELIGIONS THE ISLAM AND JEWISH COMMUNITIES. WESH TWO’S LINDSAY LOHAN TALKED TO LEADERS OF BOTH ABOUT SECURITY MEASURES. GIVEN ALL THE UNREST EVERY DAY, HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS COME TO PRAY AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF ORLANDO. RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF RAMADAN. WE HAVE SPECIAL GATHERINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE TIME OF SUNSET, MUSLIMS GET TOGETHER AT THE MOSQUE TO BREAK THEIR FAST TOGETHER, IMAM TARIQ RASHEED SAYS GIVEN THAT THEY’VE ALREADY STEPPED UP SECURITY, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO DIRECT TRAFFIC. WE HAVE HIRED PROFESSIONALS WHO HELP US IN OUR PARKING, AND THEN WE HAVE SECURITY IN THE JEWISH FAITH. MONDAY CELEBRATES WHAT’S CALLED PURIM. PURIM IS A HOLIDAY CELEBRATING THE SALVATION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE FROM A MAN, A DESPICABLE TYRANT CALLED HAMAN. RABBI SANDY FREUD WITH JOINT ORLANDO, EXPLAINED, HAMAN WANTED EVERY JEWISH PERSON TO BE EXTERMINATED BECAUSE THAT MESSAGE OF UNITY IS SO IMPORTANT. THEY ARE NOT CANCELING EVENTS TO CELEBRATE. BUT THERE IS MORE SECURITY. WHEN NEWS CAME OUT, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, EVERY SYNAGOGUE, EVERY JEWISH HOUSE OF WORSHIP DEFINITELY INCREASED THEIR LEVEL OF SECURITY. WE’RE GOING TO BE TAKING THE THE LESS CONSPICUOUS. YOU KNOW, ENTRANCE AND EXIT. SO THIS WAY PEOPLE COULD FEEL AT LEAST THA
Central Florida synagogues, mosques increase security during sacred holidays
Updated: 5:33 PM EST Mar 2, 2026
With the unrest in the Middle East, the Jewish and Islamic communities are making sure they have safety measures in place while both celebrate religious holidays. On Monday, it’s the celebration of Purim. Rabbi Sendy Freud with JOIN Orlando explained the significance behind it. “Purim is a holiday celebrating the salvation of the Jewish people from a man, despicable tyrant, called Haman. Haman decreed that their (Jewish people) extermination happened all in one day, men, women, children, everybody. He wanted every Jew to be exterminated in one day. Purim is a celebration of different events woven together that created our ultimate salvation and ultimate redemption that we can go back and rebuild the Second Temple,” Freud said. Freud said after the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, there was a discussion amongst Jewish leaders about security. “From my understanding, every synagogue, every Jewish house of worship, definitely increased their level of security awareness,” Freud said. “We have a certain entrance and exit to our facility. We’re going to be taking the less conspicuous entrance and exit, so this way people feel at least that they’re less out in the open.”At the Islamic Center of Orlando, they are in the middle of Ramadan, where they fast from sunrise to sunset. However, in the evenings, the mosque fills up. Imam Tariq Rashid said Friday that nearly 2,000 people attended an event at the mosque. “Ramadan is especially busy at the mosque because we have special gathering at the time of sunset. Muslims get together at the mosque to break their fast together,” Rashid said. During Ramadan, they already increase security and feel they have enough in place.”We have volunteers who direct traffic. We have hired professionals who help us in our parking. And then we have security. So during every Ramadan, we have all of these things in place. So we are pretty confident that we have enough persons out there who will take care of the community in the mosque,” Rashid said.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
With the unrest in the Middle East, the Jewish and Islamic communities are making sure they have safety measures in place while both celebrate religious holidays.
On Monday, it’s the celebration of Purim. Rabbi Sendy Freud with JOIN Orlando explained the significance behind it.
“Purim is a holiday celebrating the salvation of the Jewish people from a man, despicable tyrant, called Haman. Haman decreed that their (Jewish people) extermination happened all in one day, men, women, children, everybody. He wanted every Jew to be exterminated in one day. Purim is a celebration of different events woven together that created our ultimate salvation and ultimate redemption that we can go back and rebuild the Second Temple,” Freud said.
Freud said after the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, there was a discussion amongst Jewish leaders about security.
“From my understanding, every synagogue, every Jewish house of worship, definitely increased their level of security awareness,” Freud said. “We have a certain entrance and exit to our facility. We’re going to be taking the less conspicuous entrance and exit, so this way people feel at least that they’re less out in the open.”
At the Islamic Center of Orlando, they are in the middle of Ramadan, where they fast from sunrise to sunset. However, in the evenings, the mosque fills up. Imam Tariq Rashid said Friday that nearly 2,000 people attended an event at the mosque.
“Ramadan is especially busy at the mosque because we have special gathering at the time of sunset. Muslims get together at the mosque to break their fast together,” Rashid said.
During Ramadan, they already increase security and feel they have enough in place.
“We have volunteers who direct traffic. We have hired professionals who help us in our parking. And then we have security. So during every Ramadan, we have all of these things in place. So we are pretty confident that we have enough persons out there who will take care of the community in the mosque,” Rashid said.