ORLANDO, Fla. — Concerns about safety and security continue to increase around the country as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continues in the Middle East.
An attack on a Detroit-Area synagogue is being investigated by the FBI as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community, and those same concerns exist in Central Florida.
What You Need To Know
As the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran continues in the Middle East, heightened security measures are being put in place for Jewish and Iranian communities across the country
Leaders with Shalom Orlando say they have security on their campus at all times and will remain vigilant
Officials with the Iranian American Community Center of Central Florida say they make sure to permit with the City of Orlando and the police department for their weekly events
As fighting in the Middle East continues, local community leaders are emphasizing unity and support
Leaders with Shalom Orlando say they are taking security measures very seriously and have fencing surrounding the campus with even more safety protocols once on site.
The organization works to serve the Central Florida Jewish community, and CEO Marni Mandell said they have been on heightened alert for weeks now coordinating with local, state and federal agencies to ensure everyone’s safety.
She said it’s something they will continue to do following Thursday’s attack at Temple Israel in Bloomfield Township, Mich.
It was a moment that hit home for Mandell, who has close friends in the region. But she said it does not shake her confidence in Shalom Orlando’s security setup.
“We’re doing exactly what we always do. We make sure that this campus is safe and secure,” Mandell said. “We have security presence here at all times and we’re just here to make sure our community members feel safe when they’re here with us.”
It’s a similar mindset for Iranian Americans in Central Florida as well.
Pooyan Balouchian, the former president of the Iranian American Community Center of Central Florida, said that many Iranians are in favor of the war and are hopeful for the country’s future.
Balouchian also said that the group holds weekly peaceful protests in downtown Orlando to let people know where they stand, and does so with security measures in place.
“What we have been actually doing essentially is taking city permits with law enforcement presence,” Balouchian said. “So, because they understand basically the sensitivity of the matter on all of that essentially. So, we have been having law enforcement involved and engaged.”
Balouchian also said that he knows there are heightened tensions, especially since leaders in Iran have threatened to attack the U.S. for years. It is something he said he does not take lightly.
But he and Mandell both said they are paying close attention to the war and will be ready to make adjustments as things evolve.