Sarasota neighborhoods 'Unite Against Hate' after anti-Semitic incident
SARASOTA, Fla. - Neighbors are rallying together after anti-Semitic fliers were littered in several Sarasota neighborhoods. They refused to stay silent. Instead, they passed out yard signs reading "United Against Hate." An action intended to cause hurt is being met with solidarity.
Cherokee Park in Sarasota was stronger than ever, just a week after someone tried to break them apart.
"Last Friday, all of our neighbors woke up to some hate literature, some horrible, hideous anti-Semitic literature that was passed out," said Daniel DeLeo with Cherokee Park Homeowners Association
Other communities like Harbor Acres and Oyster Bay got them, too.
"Hateful but kind of foolish at the same time," said Barry Levin of Cherokee Park Homeowners Association.
We're not showing the fliers or even repeating the lies they contained. But Sarasota Police and the Sheriff's Office are investigating, working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
"A lot of us were really upset about it," DeLeo said. "We were angry about it. We felt like silence is absolutely the wrong thing to do."
What started as a mission to hurt and intimidate, brought neighbors closer. Friday, they passed out yard signs that read "United Against Hate."
"We wanted to be a rallying cry for something positive," Levin said. "We are heartened to see the broad interest in doing this and people from all the other communities coming here."
Taking it one step further, there will be a Unity Gathering Sunday with leaders from the Jewish community, public officials, faith leaders and law enforcement. It's being held at 1 p.m. at Bayfront Park near the "Embracing Our Differences Exhibit." The "United against Hate" yard signs will be distributed at the rally.
Shep Englander, CEO of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee said in a statement, "This hateful act has shaken the community, but the unity gathering will demonstrate not just the resiliency of the Jewish community, but the unshakable support that we enjoy from the community at large."
"As a community, we are going to reject that notion forcefully," said Hagen Brody, city of Sarasota commissioner, "to show this generation, these kids in our community, that this is unacceptable."
The younger these lessons are taught, the better. These signs are one way to do it.
"I learned that they mean kindness and like to spread joy and friendliness to neighbors and family," said 9-year-old Arianna Ackerman.