‘Deeply disturbing, unacceptable,’ Surfside, FL rabbi says of alleged antisemitic assault

An alleged antisemitic assault occurred on August 16 in Surfside, Florida, where Jorden Stephen Perozo, 35, reportedly punched a visiting Jewish man and made antisemitic threats. Rabbi Gavriel Koskas of Magen David Congregation of Surfside-Bal Harbour called the incident “deeply disturbing and unacceptable” but emphasized it appeared to be “an isolated incident involving individuals who are not Surfside residents, and it does not reflect the community we live in.” Perozo was arrested and faces charges of battery with prejudice and harassing a person based on religious or ethnic heritage. Rabbi Zalman Lipskar of the Shul of Bal Harbour praised local police for their close work with the Jewish community. Rabbi Koskas urged Jewish institutions to implement strong security protocols, stating, “Anyone entrusted with protecting a congregation must be properly trained, coordinated, disciplined, and know exactly how to respond in an emergency.” He concluded that the Jewish community in Surfside remains safe and supported, despite the incident.