TOPSTORIESFROMLASTWEEK

JosephCox, president andCEO, Museum of Discovery and Science. TheMuseum of Discovery and Science has begunwelcoming guests back onweekends and will open fully beginning Dec. 31 with a “NoonYear’sEve” celebration. This event allows us to say goodbye to 2020 andwelcome 2021. This year has been so incredibly challenging, but people are still asking howthey can support their local cultural institutions. Consider buying a membership to one of our local museums as a holiday gift. It’s a greatway to connect with your friends and family, make memories, provide a learning experience for children and ensure our Broward cultural organizations survive.

Dr. BernieFernandez Jr., CEO, Baptist HealthMedicalGroup. Thisweek, hospitals began receiving theCOVID-19 vaccine and vaccinating their frontline hospital staff. This momentous step in the right direction to fight the novel coronavirus resulted from the collaboration ofmany agencies and organizations in the private and public sectors at the federal, state and local levels. This vaccine will provide the armor our frontline hospital staff needs to continue the fight againstCOVID-19. The rollout of the vaccine is the first step to getting back to normal, butwe cannot let our guard down. We must continue taking safety precautions to reduce the transmission of the virus.

member, BrowardCounty School Board. Thehope of a vaccine isnowa reality and it is important to allowteachers to be vaccinated with the first groupof essentialworkers in order to get our schools open and teachers back in the classroomssafely. Ourstudents are struggling, andwe need to getthemback in school safely so teachers can provide amore engaging education thatpromotes a love of learning that will helpthembe successful and reduce the stress and anxiety they are experiencing. Vaccinating our teachers is key toprotecting themand gettingmore students into our schools.

TraceyLabgold, chairperson, Anti-Defamation League Florida. Since Thanksgiving, we’ve seen an unacceptable string of antisemitic incidents: ABoynton Beach couple, after mailing their Judaica items, found them vandalized with antisemitic language. A womanwas subjected to antisemitic harassment by another patron while grocery shopping in Boca Raton. Aman and his son having ice cream in MiamiBeachwere accosted with antisemitic threats by amanwhohad multiple knives on him. We’ve seen white supremacist propaganda in Jupiter, Fort Lauderdale, Stuart, Cocoa Beach, Orlando and Sunrise. Yet, underreporting remains an issue. Report antisemitic or bias-motivated incidents to lawenforcement, and toADLat adl.org/reportincidents.