Security is in the news today. Jewish institutions are beefing up their security in the wake of Pittsburgh. And several recent anti-Semitic street attacks in New York and elsewhere have made it clear that Jewish individuals, too, need to be more aware of the danger of becoming a victim of assault, whether the motive is hatred or robbery.
Anti-Semitism is nothing new, of course. It has existed since the Exodus from Egypt 3,331 years ago. But we, the Jewish people, have also celebrated the miracle of our survival throughout history as the cherished nation of am Yisrael, a survival that is the biggest proof of G-d’s love for us. We have shown a remarkable ability to confront the most impossible of challenges. Our past is riddled with wondrous feats of heroism: Dovid vs. Golias, the Maccabees vs. the Greeks, and Bar Kochva vs. the Romans. Today, too, we as a people stand strong.
Yet we are not a people that seeks violence. Our ideal is shalom, peace. And we often think of violence as being negative or criminal. In reality, it is not. It is simply a tool. Perhaps if we shift our paradigm, we can learn to embrace it for use in situations where it is warranted.
David Hamelech is the epitome of the humble servant of Hashem, waiting for His guidance so that he could be a successful king over the nation of Israel. But in order to accomplish that mission, there were times when he needed to fight. The first time was when he fearlessly took on Golias. With emuna and bitachon (faith) he used a slingshot to vanquish his enemy. As he famously said, “Hashem, atah magein be’adi kevodi umarim roshi – But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and He Who raises up my head.” He referred to Hakadosh Baruch Hu (G-d) as the only One who could grant him salvation against his foes. Still, he did his hishtadlus. When it came time for the battle, he was prepared to fight.
In Hilchos Rotzei’ach, the Rambam says about saving a life: “If it is possible to save the pursued by damaging one of the limbs of the pursuer, one should. Thus, if one can strike him with an arrow, a stone, or a sword, and cut off his hand, break his leg, blind him, or in another way prevent him from achieving his objective, one should do so.”
Does that mean that men, women, and children should carry around knives and stones – even guns? Tzviel “BK” Blankchtein, owner of Masada Tactical in Pikesville, who teaches ICS (Israeli Combat System), served in the Israeli Defense Forces from 1993 to 1997. He has expertise in firearms, tactical operations, hand-to-hand combat, amphibious assaults, operational security in hostile areas, and intelligence and counter-intelligence operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Counterterrorism and International Security and a graduate degree in Security Management and is often a consultant for military and law enforcement agencies in designing training programs.
The physical moves for self-defense obviously cannot be taught in an article, so it is the prevention aspect that is being discussed here. Indeed, BK emphasizes the importance of prevention through being alert to potential threats.
There are two types of threats, says BK. The first is a threat in a single location, called a primary crime scene. For instance, an attacker might say, “Give me your wallet!” In this case, it is best to comply. Give him your wallet, and the scene will end.
The second type of threat is when the assailant tries to switch the location of the assault. This is called a secondary crime scene, where he tries to move you to another place. In this situation, you absolutely must fight. You can scratch, bite, or even grab a kitchen knife. As the Rambam paskened, if a life is on the line, the attacker must be subdued.
For self-defense to be effective, there needs to be a shift from reactivity to pro-activity. This begins by developing a mindset about self-defense. And this mindset begins with prevention. BK has received questions like, “If I am in downtown Baltimore at 2 a.m., how can I defend myself?” The answer was, simply, “Don’t be there.”
Another part of preparation is taking some time to imagine “what if” scenarios. For example, say you are at a gas station and someone puts a gun or a knife in your window. What would you do if you were by yourself? Would you act differently if you had kids in your car? If it becomes clear that the situation is a case of piku’ach nefesh (a life is at stake) and the attacker may be preparing to shoot, slice, or change the location, you could simply step on the gas.
There is also a psychological aspect to preparation. Observe the people around you and try to sense if anyone is acting “off.” If he is, you may have to prepare yourself to fight. Honestly, despite the bad rap that it gets in the United States, profiling is a necessary tool. In fact, Israeli security is based on profiling. We need to step back from political correctness; instead, we must adopt the practice of being aware of any actions that do not fit the norm. If someone comes to a shul not wearing a yarmulke or does not know how to respond when greeted with a good Shabbos, precautions should be taken. At this point, you can ask him a question, like “Are you here to see anyone?” Or you can ask fellow congregants if they know him. If he should not be there, call the police. Further signs to look for to identify someone who is out of place are: Do they seem stressed? Are they avoiding eye contact? Are they sweating? These are indicators that the person should not be there. You can ask them to leave, and if they do not comply, call the police.
BK delineates five levels of awareness: condition white, condition yellow, condition orange, condition red, and condition black. White is a state of relaxation that one would only be in while sitting in the comfort of his or her own home. Yellow is the state that one should always stay in while out in public. It is being aware of your surroundings. Orange is when you start getting stressed. It is a heightened level of awareness when the hairs on the back of your head start to rise. At this point, you should be looking to identify the cause of your discomfort. If you are in an enclosed area with your family, then it is the time to get your family out. When you enter into condition red, a confrontation cannot be avoided. If flight is not possible, it is time to fight. Condition black is a state of being overwhelmed. When out of the protection of your home, you never want to be in white or black. Always stay at yellow.
Another important tool is to train certain shul congregants in behavior analysis. They should look out for verbal and physical cues that indicate a threat may be present. These people should stay in condition orange at all times.
By taking precautions, we empower ourselves. Let us daven for safety in all of our communities, and let us strengthen ourselves so that we can, b’ezras Hashem, stand strong in the face of adversity.
Yehonatan Michelsohn is a student of ICS and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Human Services.
