MIAMI (WSVN) - Two top South Florida leaders took part in a meeting with an advocacy group to address concerns regarding the current rise in antisemitism.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez were the featured speakers on Sunday afternoon for the opening program of the American Jewish Committee National Leadership Council Advocacy Fly-In.
The event comes after new research shows Jewish people in South Florida feel less safe in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
“Of course, horrified. Of course, in disbelief,” said Levine Cava.
Levine Cava, the first Jewish person to be elected mayor of Miami-Dade, said she took action after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
“It was my job as mayor, but especially, I felt, as Jewish leader in chief, to reach out, and we immediately reached out to the broader Jewish community,” she said.
Suarez, meanwhile, said Miami showed support for Israel financially through the purchase of Israeli bonds.
“I went to my manager, and I said, ‘What’s the maximum that we can buy legally?’ And he said, ‘Well, the maximum is $20 million, so [I said], ‘That’s what we’re going to do,'” he said.
Both mayors reacted to the new research showing a rise in antisemitism. Six out of 10 Jewish people saying they feel less safe than a year ago.
“Basically, we have to spread the message that hate will not be tolerated, and I believe that we are a very, very unified community,” said Levine Cava.
From stepped-up security and more detectives to investigate instances of Jewish hate crimes, the mayors said they want to see change.
“I’ve been very clear and consistent, and so, I think that clarity and consistency does not create an opening for people to believe that they can penetrate with things that are clearly not just antisemitic but, in my opinion, do not reflect a clear understanding of history,” said Suarez.
Levine Cava and Suarez agreed that despite their well-known partisan political differences, they are united in their efforts to fight antisemitism across South Florida.
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