MIAMI BEACH — A predominantly Jewish neighborhood was put on edge Sunday after a vandal keyed swastika designs into several vehicles.
Miami Beach Police are investigating the reports in the area of Prairie Avenue and 28th Street.
“The swastika represents the death and destruction and genocide of six million Jews and millions of other minorities,” said Rabbi Mendy Levy, who lives in the area.
Rabbi Levy says three vehicles were keyed near his home. A fourth vehicle was keyed on Alton Road and 20th Street.
“Obviously it was intended to offend our neighbors,” said Doug Eaton, whose car was also keyed.
“We’re not Jewish but the majority of this neighborhood is Jewish and that’s what it was designed to do.
It was designed to offend them and it’s a very offensive sign and it’s going to upset a lot of people around here.”
“I hope it was just a bunch of kids getting into some mischief. If it was something more sinister than that, it’s more disturbing,” said Rabbi Levy.
Rabbi Levy, who’s part of Chabad Security Department, an organization that helps keep Jewish institutions safe, shared a picture of a synagogue in Sunny Isles Beach he says had a swastika drawn on its front door Friday night.
He says he hopes whoever did this comes to realize how hurtful this symbol is to the millions whose families suffered and were killed in the Holocaust.
“When an elderly Jewish person sees it or someone who was affected, a survivor of the Holocaust, it brings back horrors. It brings back memories of millions of people getting killed in the Holocaust,” said Levy.
Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS. As always, there’s a $3,000 cash reward.
