Jewish Students Among Slain in Florida High School Mass Shooting

Pictured Above: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2008. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

(JNS) The Jewish community in Parkland, Florida was plunged into mourning Wednesday when an ex-student opened fire on students, killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, at least one of them Jewish.

Jamie Guttenberg, daughter of Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, was the first named casualty of the attack. At least four more Jews were listed among the injured.

Rabbi Bradd Boxman of Kol Tikvah, a Reform congregation in the town close to Boca Raton, held a healing and memorial service after the mass shooting which was attended by community members.

According to Rabbi Boxman, a large number of students from his congregation were enrolled at Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Rabbi Jonathan Kaplan of Temple Beth Chai synagogue counseled parents at the local hotel whose children were still unaccounted for.  One child from Kaplan’s congregation is among the dead, and another is still missing.

The attack was committed by Nikolas Cruz, 19, who was expelled from the school for disciplinary problems. He was captured by law enforcement and taken into custody.