Local

Charlotte's Jewish community prays for victims of Kansas attack

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte's Jewish community is sending thoughts and prayers to people in Kansas on Monday night after a deadly shooting rampage outside two Jewish community centers there.

Channel 9 spoke with local Jewish leaders about what they're doing to make the community feel safe.

The executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte said the deadly shootings in Kansas prove hatred still exists.

 "It is an unfortunate reality in the world that we face that anti-Semitism is still alive," said Sue Worrel, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte.

The Jewish Federation is part of the 55-acre Shalom Park, which is also home to two of the largest Jewish congregations in the Carolinas and several Jewish schools.

A fire set by arsonists destroyed Charlotte's Jewish community center in the early 1980s and helped prompt them to create Shalom Park.

Leaders did not want to elaborate on previous threats or security but said the campus is working closely with law enforcement after what happened in Kansas.

"We will be taking appropriate security precautions until all this is sorted out," Worrel said.

Channel 9 saw several people at the center Monday looking forward to the Passover holiday, which begins Monday night.

No one wanted to talk on camera about what happened in Kansas, but they said they will be more vigilant.

"We won't be able to ignore and overlook what happened yesterday, but I think it will reinforce for us truly the importance of this holiday," Worrel said.