It was almost two years ago
that the horrific Pittsburgh synagogue massacre occurred, in October 2018. In
2019, anti-Semitic street crimes escalated in New York, fatal shootings were
perpetrated in Poway (San Diego) and Jersey City. And in Monsey, five chasidim at a Chanukah party were hacked
with a machete.
Although
the COVID-19 crisis has eclipsed every other problem these days, anti-Semitism
has not gone away and continues to fester in the background. Anti-Semitic hate
crimes are not new. Ever since the FBI first compiled statistics in 1992,
America’s Jews have been target number-one of religious-inspired attacks. The recent
increasing violence, mayhem, and murder, including from domestic terrorists, signal
us that we must escalate our hishtadlus (efforts)
to protect ourselves.
The
question is how?
First,
we must understand that an attack on any Jew is an attack on all Jews.
Anti-Semites hate us all. We are all one: chasidic,
yeshivish, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or secular. Our enemies don’t
differentiate among Jews. When fighting anti-Semitism, neither should we.
Second,
an attitude of it-won’t-happen-here is a recipe for a disaster. The Torah
instructs us to build a ma’akeh (guardrail) on
every roof. In 2020, the ma’akeh for every
shul, shteibel, day school, and
community center consists of a comprehensive safety plan and basic security
measures, including armed guards.
We
must approach the current situation the way our forefather Yaakov did when
preparing for his confrontation with Eisav. Yaakov did not rely on a miracle.
He prayed to G-d for protection, but he also prepared for action with
an escape plan and a plan to fight. We must continue to look toward G-d and
pray for protection, but we must also train and prepare
ourselves and those around us.
Ironically,
when schools and shuls were totally closed, we wished we “only” had to worry
about the security of our buildings. Now, as we gradually open up, we pray that
the pandemic will soon pass and we can once more fully occupy our buildings and
fill them with the sounds of tefila
and learning – safely.
* * *
There are three basic
components of any security action plan: 1) preparing the tzibur (congregation) for how to react to an emergency, 2) setting
up a system for communicating during an emergency, and 3) planning for the
ability to lockdown a place of worship to mitigate an attack. These self-help
measures have become even more urgent as police departments are at risk of
losing both funding and personnel in these politically tumultuous times.
All
three components of a security action plan require that teachers,
administrators, and congregants be trained on what to do during an emergency. Every
hospital conducts constant emergency drills. They are inconvenient and time
consuming, but, as studies have shown, drills save lives. When individuals
don’t know what to do, they freeze. When they have participated in drills, they
can jump into action. Those who had gone through simulations were able to
rapidly respond, and the outcomes were better.
Every
Jewish institution in America, big or small, should undergo training. Every
facility should begin by appointing a director of security, a member who is
well known in the community and will volunteer to dedicate his time to learn
the basics of security and how to implement basic security tenets. The
appointed individual should be trained in basic CPR and in basic bleeding
control. Additionally, it is imperative that each security director coordinate
with local, regional, and national groups to share information.
* * *
Equipping our facilities with
basic security standards is important. The next time you are in shul, a JCC,
Federation, or Jewish school, look around you. If someone were to run into the
hall or room with a gun or knife (G-d forbid), where would you go? What would
you do? Can you lock the doors to the room, the shul, the main sanctuary, the
children’s rooms? If the answer is no, the first thing that facility must do is
to investigate ways to lockdown rooms. If the terrorist is inside the perimeter,
however, that means security has failed. To prevent intruders, it is important to
have trained members monitoring the doors and the perimeter for suspicious
individuals. Then, if a congregant or security guard outside sees an evildoer
approach with a gun (G-d forbid), there must be way to communicate to the
people inside, in real time.
We
are not alone. America in 2020 is not Germany of the 1930s. Your local police department
is available to explain what steps are necessary. Homeland Security and other federal,
state, and local jurisdictions have funds to help pay for components of today’s
ma’akeh. And it is never too early to
practice your emergency action plan. It could save lives.
Along
with the practical protective measures above, there is more we can all do to
change the current toxic environment in many localities. We need to do better in
reaching out to our neighbors – in helping the poor, the homeless, and the
hungry, whose struggles are all but invisible to us. Anshei ircha kodmim. This means forging new relationships with
other religious communities and community leaders. Jews cannot defeat
anti-Semitism alone. We need our non-Jewish neighbors, our police, and
especially our elected officials – from City Hall to Capitol Hill – to know us,
understand our needs, and help secure an environment that will allow klal Yisrael
to continue to grow and flourish in our communities across this great country.
* * *
Most of all, we need a workable
blueprint for every venue where our community gathers. Our religious leaders
need to take the lead with these plans. We look to them for guidance and
respect them tremendously; they should continue to exhibit leadership as we
prepare and plan for our enhanced safety. Every shul, community center, and
school should have a plan for what they would do during an emergency and the
ability to lockdown the shul. The institutions should put plans in place and
practice them on a frequent basis.
The
Department of Homeland Security is a powerful resource, which has information
online for creating the basic tenets of an emergency action plan. Start with
the free available information and go from there.
It
is important that all of our leaders send regular updates regarding safety
procedures put in place. It is important that our leaders encourage others to
be trained and direct their institutions to appoint a director of
security.
Finally,
develop and maintain close relationships with local law enforcement. Do not
wait for a crisis. If they understand the centrality of our shuls and yeshivot
they will be there for us in good times and, chas v’shalom, in times of crisis.
Rabbi Dr. Yonah Bardos, MD MBE, is an
OBGYN-Geneticist, Hatzalah member, and volunteer director of security at a
large south Florida synagogue. A version of this article was previously published in the Jewish
Press, January 2020.
