Rabbi Joseph Raksin Remembered In Miami Date

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - South Florida's Jewish community continued to grapple with the death of an Orthodox rabbi, one day after, police said, he was gunned down while walking to temple on the Sabbath. A growing memorial near Northeast 175th Street and Eighth Court in Northeast Miami-Dade, comprised of a rose and votive candles, marked the area where, according to investigators, 60-year-old Yosef Raksin was confronted by two men Saturday morning as the religious leader was walking to Bais Menachem Chabad, a synagogue located a few blocks away. An altercation ensued, and then one of the subjects took out a gun and shot Raksin. "The bullet just went from the side here all the way down, went out," said Shully Lepokovski, Raksin's daughter. "The thing is, it went through and it touched the heart." Good Samaritan Jean Louis Denis said he ran out to help Raksin as soon as he heard the gunshot. "I talked a little bit to him; he gave me his name, that he was from New York," he said, "and he told me that two males were the people that did this." Raksin was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he later died. "This has a big effect in the community," said Joseph Waks, a friend of Raksin and his family, Saturday night. "A rabbi [shot] walking to temple. I've got two beautiful children. I walk to temple with them every Sabbath in Miami Beach. It's devastating." "Well, this neighborhood is torn apart right now from what happened," said local Jewish resident Daniel K. Sunday morning, a hearse brought Raksin's body outside Bais Menachem Chabad. Dozens of Orthodox Jews in prayer surrounded the hearse, and then in a powerful moment of silence, they walked behind the vehicle. Shortly after, Raksin's body was taken to the airport and then flown to his final resting place in Brooklyn, N.Y. Lepokovski said her father had flown to South Florida to visit family members. "He came just for a vacation, just came Thursday night," said Raksin's daughter, Shully Lepokovski. "He came for a week's vacation. He was going to be here a few days, then go to West Palm [Beach] to my other sister." Raksin's family said the rabbi was targeted for being Jewish. "He was a very quiet person," said Menachem Katz," Raksin's nephew. "If someone came and said, 'Give me your money,'" he would say, 'Take everything you want, take my jacket, take everything, check my pockets." He would never run. He wasn't that type of person." Sunday evening, a rally in memory of the New York rabbi was held in front of the Miami-Dade Police Department's Intracoastal Station in North Miami Beach. More than a dozen members of the Jewish community stood in prayer. "It's very hard for the community to understand," said demonstrator Yona Lunger. "They're really just ... a very gentle family," said Rabbi Gedaliah Druin, who also attended the rally to pay his respects. "I can't believe it." Lunger said the Jewish community will be following the police investigation very closely. "We're here to support the police department; we're here to tell you that we're going to watch every single part of this investigation," he said. "We're going to help you, but do a thorough investigation." While the community continues to mourn the loss of Raksin, Miami-Dade Police continue to search for the two suspects. Investigators said there's no proof at this time that confirms whether or not the shooting was a hate crime. Lepokovski, however, said she there is no question in her mind about what happened to her father. "I want [police] to find them and investigate the crime as a hate crime, and I want them to take care of this, please," she said. "I want every person watching now to know that it's their responsibility to help find the culprit, to help find the shooter or shooters," said Katz. Miami-Dade Police announced they will be holding a press conference Monday morning to address Raksin's shooting. The local Jewish community is offering a $50,000 reward to anyone with any information leading to an arrest. If you have any information on this shooting, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.