TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The state budget passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis Wednesday includes $500,000 for Temple Israel to fortify its building security to protect the ability of members of the community to worship there and for children to attend its day school.
Rabbi Michael Shields, of Tallahassee's Temple Israel released the following statement:
“This historic and appropriate action taken by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature will long be remembered as visionary and vital to protecting the ability of Tallahassee’s Jewish community to continue to safely provide services through its community center and preschool, and to worship as they choose, as guaranteed in the First Amendment. The lessons learned from the Holocaust taught us all that ‘never again’ can humanity allow such atrocities against any group.
“We still live in a dangerous world in which acts of violence against various groups represents a modern form of domestic terrorism. That includes cowardly anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish institutions – as with the recent assault on Florida’s Holocaust Museum.
“The action by Governor DeSantis and the Legislature to support our need to fortify our facilities reflects a true value to protect our people. We express heartfelt gratitude on behalf of Tallahassee’s Jewish community. In the end, what this support cost is totally eclipsed by what it actually saves: the freedom to safely gather and worship.”
DeSantis said the $101.5 billion budget does "more than the state has ever done."
