Florida Gov. Charlie Crist granted an exclusive interview to Chabad.org just before the conclusion of the Passover holiday. Sitting down in his office with Rabbi Shneur Zalman Oirechman, co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of the Panhandle in Tallahassee, and Menachem Cohen, Crist spoke about his warm relations with the Jewish community and shared his concern for the Chabad House of Miami Beach, found torched last week in an apparent arson.
Florida Governor: Hate-Crimes Law Should Apply in Synagogue Fire
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist granted an exclusive interview to Chabad.org just before the conclusion of the Passover holiday. Sitting down in his office with Rabbi Shneur Zalman Oirechman, co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of the Panhandle in Tallahassee, and Menachem Cohen, Crist spoke about his warm relations with the Jewish community and shared his concern for the Chabad House of Miami Beach, found torched last week in an apparent arson.
Q: As you know, the destruction of the Chabad House in Miami Beach, directed by Rabbi Zev and Chani Katz, is the second case of a synagogue in the Miami area to be struck by fire in six months. How should the authorities respond to this latest tragedy?
A: “I think that it is terrible that it occurred at all, [happening] on Passover. Some of the [Torah] scrolls were torn, [and] it looks like it was intentional. I know from what I am told that there is currently an investigation going on to try to determine [who are] the perpetrators and how this happened.”
As the state’s attorney general, you were behind a hate-crimes law. Should it be applied here?
“This kind of crime, if it is proven to be that, would fall into the category of what we call a hate crime, because it happened against a particular group for a particular reason, in this case religious based. I am a strong supporter of enforcing hate crimes, in order to deter that kind of criminal activity from happening again. I am very glad we have hate-crime laws in Florida, because they protect the Jewish religion, African Americans, and any group of people.
