PALM BEACH, Fla. — Inside the Palm Beach Synagogue, prayers were heard loud and clear.
"The congregation – men, women and children – came together for prayer, for Torah study, for celebration of the Sabbath, which is a day of gratitude and community and family," Rabbi Moshe Scheiner told WPTV Saturday evening.
However, outside their door, messages of hate once again plagued Palm Beach County driveways and yards, this time in the town of Palm Beach.
"It's just shocking that people still hold these views and it's just reprehensible behavior," a Palm Beach resident said.
Scheiner was one of many residents to find a Ziplock bag filled with corn kernels and an antisemitic flyer at his doorstep.
"When I was leaving my home to come back for the evening service, I found this antisemitic message at my doorstep, and I went back in to share it with my wife," he said. "Very, very distraught to see this disrupting the peace, the tranquility, the holiness and the beauty of the Sabbath."
Palm Beach police were patrolling the area where the flyers were thrown out. Officers told WPTV they were aware a group who may be responsible for distributing the flyers was on the island and there was an investigation, but no further information was provided.
With this recent run of disturbing acts, some Florida lawmakers are now hoping to pass a bill that would make it possible to charge people for throwing the antisemitic messages into yards and driveways.
Shneor Minsky said it's a start, but he hopes the law goes into place sooner rather than later.
"Throughout history we've seen it starts with a paper," Minsky said. "It starts with something on the wall. Then it can escalate from there."
Palm Beach police are asking residents who find any of the antisemitic material to call the non-emergency line.
"We will remain strong, we will never give in and we will never give up in the fight against antisemitism," Scheiner said.
