2 more attacks on Jews heighten concerns about security in and around US synagogues
Share this @internewscast.com

Leaders of U.S. Jewish organizations are reminded of their duty to stay alert following the recent incidents in Boulder, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., which serve as reminders of the importance of maintaining strong security measures to protect their members.

They’re urgently calling for increased assistance after twelve people were injured during a demonstration in Boulder advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, and over a week prior, two staff members from the Israeli Embassy were tragically shot outside a Jewish museum in Washington.

In response to the Washington shooting, 43 Jewish groups came together to issue a joint statement, appealing to the U.S. government for improved security support. They specifically asked Congress to raise the budget of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $1 billion.

“Every Jewish organization has been serious about security for years. We have to be,” said Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism. “The grants are to harden the buildings, for things like cameras and glass, and some kind of blockage so they can’t drive a truck into the building.”

“These are the everyday realities of Jewish life in the 21st century in America. It’s a sad reality, but it is an essential responsibility of leadership to make sure that people are first and foremost safe.”

Shira Hutt, executive vice president at The Jewish Federations of North America, said existing federal funds were inadequate, with only 43% of last year’s applicants to the grant program receiving funding.

Citing the attack in Boulder, she said increased funding for local law enforcement is also crucial.

“Thankfully, the attack was stopped before even further damage could have been done,” she said. “This is really now a full-blown crisis, and we need to make sure that we have all the support necessary.”

One of the Jewish Federation’s state-based affiliates, JEWISHcolorado, on Tuesday launched an emergency fund to raise $160,000 in support of the Boulder community. Its goals include enhancing safety and security measures for Jewish institutions and events.

Strengthening alliances and pushing for results

Leaders of Jewish Federation Los Angeles urged government, business and philanthropic groups to “supercharge an alliance so we can build mutual understanding, dispel conspiracy theories, and provide rapid response when any group is under threat.”

“Jews here in Los Angeles are terrified but determined,” said the federation’s president, Rabbi Noah Farkas. “We do not need more community meetings, we need results and we are counting on our local government and our law enforcement partners to do more.”

The security costs at 63 Jewish day schools have risen on average 84% since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct, 7, 2023, according to the Teach Coalition, the education advocacy arm of the Orthodox Union, an umbrella group for Orthodox Judaism.

The coalition is advocating for more state and federal security funding for Jewish schools and camps, as well as synagogues.

The attacks in Washington and Boulder only heighten the urgency, said its national director Sydney Altfield.

“Some people see this as an isolated instance, whether it is in Colorado, whether it’s in D.C.,” she said. “But we have to step up and realize that it could happen anywhere. … It is so important that our most vulnerable, our children, are secure to the highest extent.”

In Florida, Rabbi Jason Rosenberg of Congregation Beth Am said members of the Reform synagogue in the Tampa Bay area “are feeling very nervous right now and having some additional security might make people a little bit more comfortable.”

He said that “there’s a definite sense that these attacks are not isolated events, that these attacks are, in part, the result of a lot of the antisemitic rhetoric that we’ve been hearing in society for years now.”

However, he said part of his message as a faith leader in such a climate has been to encourage resilience.

“We can’t let this define us. … We can’t stop doing what we do; we can’t stop coming to synagogue; we can’t stop having our activities,” he said. “Our job is to add holiness to our lives and to the world, and we can’t let this stop us from focusing on sacred work.”

Security concerns inside and outside

Jacobs, the Reform Judaism leader, said the latest attacks in Washington and Boulder signaled that new security strategies were needed.

“Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were murdered outside of the event at the D.C. Jewish Museum,” he said.

“And that presented a whole additional sort of challenges for law enforcement and for each of our institutions doing security, which is: you can’t just worry about who comes in; you actually have to worry about who’s lurking outside, and so, that is part now of our protocols.”

The attack in Boulder, he said, took place during a “peaceful protest” where demonstrators were calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

“We have to worry about what happens inside our institutions. … We also have to be thinking and working with law enforcement about what happens outside.”

Jacobs recalled that when a Christian leader recently visited a Reform synagogue, he was “stunned by the security protocols,” which included procedures that Jacobs likened to passengers passing through airport security.

“I said, ‘Well, what do you do in your churches?’ and he said, ‘Well, we like to be welcoming.’ And I said: ‘We don’t have that luxury. We want to make sure our people feel safe, otherwise people will stop coming.’”

___

Associated Press reporter Tiffany Stanley contributed to this report.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Mugshot of Takahiro Shiraishi.

Japan Executes ‘The Twitter Killer’: Social Media Predator Who Murdered and Dismembered Nine Victims

JAPAN has executed the man who brutally murdered eight women and one…

Frightening Incident: Passenger Planes Crash on Runway, Wing Tears Through Parked Airbus, Stranding Hundreds

THIS is the harrowing moment two planes collide on a runway –…
School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania accused of failing to properly inspect asbestos in buildings, facing federal charges

Philadelphia School District Faces Federal Charges for Alleged Negligence in Asbestos Inspections

PHILADELPHIA — Federal prosecutors brought charges against Philadelphia’s public school system on…
Justifying Illegal Immigration Through Chattel Ethics?

Rationalizing Undocumented Immigration with Chattel Morality?

I once went on a water taxi adventure along New York City’s…
Inside that shocking prostate cancer diagnosis

Confronting a Surprising Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Spoiler alert for the June 26, 2025 episode of “And Just Like…
Hand holding two large hailstones after a storm.

Massive Hail and Violent Thunderstorm Devastate Austria, Shattering Windows and Flooding Alpine Resort

A THUNDERSTORM unleashed golf ball-sized hail and torrential rain across Austria –…
I had a mental breakdown after my husband died — now no one will talk to me

I had an emotional collapse when my husband passed away, and now everyone is avoiding me.

DEAR ABBY: I reside in a small town, and since my husband…
Iran intensifies internal security crackdown after US, Israel strikes

Iran steps up domestic security measures following attacks by US and Israel

Iranians are facing significant internal unrest as the authorities have ramped up…
Chicago crime: Burglars break into vehicles parked along lakefront in Uptown, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, police warn

Chicago Crime Alert: Thieves Target Cars Parked Along Lakefront in Uptown, Lincoln Park, and Lakeview, Police State

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago police have issued a warning for anyone driving…
Idaho judge rejects Bryan Kohberger's request to delay murder trial in college student stabbings

Idaho Judge Denies Bryan Kohberger’s Request to Postpone Murder Trial in College Student Stabbings

An Idaho judge says he won’t postpone the quadruple murder trial of…
Woman using a walker in her garden.

Retiree Threatened with Home Loss Over $38K Trash Bin Fine Starting from a Missed Move During Vacation 10 Years Ago

A WOMAN has stated that she might lose her $65,000 home due…
'Squid Game,' 'We Were Liars'

“Squid Game and We Were Liars: What You Need to Know”

The (heat) wave of new and returning television shows is here. Summer…