After this weekend’s fire at the Florida State University Chabad Center for Jewish life in Tallahassee, the Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus weighed in this week.
“A horrible and tragic fire has destroyed the Florida State University Chabad Center for Jewish life in Tallahassee. For more than two decades, the center has served the Panhandle, with more than 5,000 members in the Florida State University community from Tallahassee to Pensacola, and has alumni all over the world,” the legislators said in a joint statement.
“This fire comes during the month of May, when American Jews celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month, acknowledging American Jews’ achievements and contributions to the United States of America. As such, the loss of the Torah scrolls, hundreds of books and 20 years of teachings is magnified, and the loss to the community will be felt for years. The Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, shares in mourning this tragic and significant loss. The burning of a Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is heartbreaking to Jewish people and ignites a hole in the souls of Jews everywhere,” they added.
“We stand united in our resolve to see this Jewish Community Center rebuilt better than before, and to further ensure the spirit of the Jewish People will survive and triumph,” they said in conclusion.
The Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus consists of:
• Representative Michael Gottlieb, Co-Chair – District 98
• Representative Emily Slosberg, Co-Chair – District 91
• Senator Lori Berman – District 31
• Senator Lauren Book – District 32
• Senator Tina Polsky – District 29
• Senator Annette Taddeo – District 40
• Representative Mike Caruso – District 89
• Representative Ben Diamond – District 68
• Representative Randy Fine – District 53
• Representative Joseph Geller – District 100
• Representative David Silvers – District 87
• Representative Allison Tant – District 9
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