Recent Pittsburgh shooting impacts synagogues on the Central Coast

The deadly shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue is impacting the Jewish community on the Central Coast.

To members of Temple Beth El, in Salinas, the news of the Saturday morning shooting was devastating. “My first thing is shock, and I’m sad. That’s the other thing,” said Rebecca Rodick, a member and volunteer of Temple Beth El.

30-year member, Nancy Mikita, said her first thought was “not again.” “I take it personally that it’s at a synagogue because that’s what I’m familiar with,” said Mikita.

Rebecca Rodick said people of Jewish faith have been targeted for thousands of years and Saturday morning’s tragedy only reminds them of the importance of security in places of worship. “I feel being prepared is the better way to be. We’ve had police come over here and talk to us about different ways to help ourselves,” said Rodick.

Nancy Mikita is head of security in the building and said 10 cameras line the outside of the building and a number are scattered inside. The doors are only open during their 7pm Friday service and other large group events. At all other hours, they are locked and synagogue members needs a code or key to access the building. She said the system was installed years ago as a precaution, and although they haven’t encountered a major threat so far, they are always on guard in case.

Rabbi Bruce Greenbaum with Carmel’s Congregation Beth Israel says we’ve seen recent acts of Anti-Semitism.

“You see hate groups around us, and while I’d like to think we’re beyond that type of hatred, clearly we’re not. Hopefully this is just the act of one deranged individual, but there are a lot of people out there who will applaud his act and agree with what he was trying to do – Which was kill Jews,” Rabbi Greenbaum tells KION.

He says the Congregation’s Board of Trustees is meeting the following week to discuss potential additionally security measures. While they have leaned away from armed guards, they do have them occasionally during larger events, like at High Holiday Services. Places of worship are often have open door policies, but Greenbaum says they are considering locking their door and instituting a buzz-in system.

“Lots of discussion about why are we having to deal with that sort of act in 2018,” Rabbi Greenbaum said. “Our first response is to offer prayers to those victims. Offer prayers to those families. To send our prayers of support and love and healing. And that’s the first thing we do. And then we have to move on to how we try and prevent this type of act from happening again. Both educating the people around us to the reasons why there is no sense in attacking the Jewish community.” He adds, “and then we just have to continue to discuss what is the best way to talk to those people around us and let them understand who we are as a Jewish community.”

11 people were killed in the Saturday shooting, and officials says six others were injured. The suspect is in custody.