JUNO BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) — In the face of hate, a Florida community has come together, stronger than ever, after a vicious vandal destroyed a sand menorah. Instead of succumbing to pain, residents turned the incident into an opportunity to send a powerful message of unity and resilience.
The sand menorah, built on the first night of Hanukkah last Thursday on Juno Beach, was vandalized on Tuesday. Not only was it destroyed, but the vandal also used tiki torch candles to form a Nazi swastika on top. In response, community members, undeterred, insisted on rebuilding the menorah.
Despite heavy winds and rain, hundreds gathered on Wednesday evening to witness the menorah being relit. The ceremony turned a potentially dark moment into a celebration of strength and solidarity.
Barbara Wagner, a Jupiter resident, expressed her emotions.
“It brings tears to my eyes, honestly, to see all these people,” she said.
Rabbi Leib Ezagui expressed the importance of coming together in the face of hate.
“It was heartwarming, unbelievably heartwarming to see the community coming together in such a huge way,” he said.
While the rain and wind posed challenges, the candles were eventually lit, symbolizing the community’s resilience. The synagogue plans to build another menorah next year, affirming their commitment to standing strong against hatred.
Authorities said they are actively pursuing the perpetrator.
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