As usual, late to the party, but sharing my $0.02:
@deltastubs - that was a great comment with you 100%
As far as security is concerned, as both a martial arts practitioner and shul security volunteer. I highly recommend both. Please don't misunderstand, I am not suggesting that every shul have 25 people on duty every shabbos that are trained in MMA and Carrying AR15's, what I am saying is, we should all be doing something.
- Shul entrances need to be limited, locked and monitored. I realize that this is much easier for some shuls than others, and in some situations than others, but we need to take reasonable steps to make sure that someone's watching the door. I daven at a small shul where I know 90% of the people who walk in the door shabbos morning, and among the 10% I don't recognize are guests who can be verified otherwise.
- I can't promise you that learning martial arts will help you fight off an attacker - especially considering that most of the attacks are surprises. (It's kind of hard to block a punch to the back of your head that you didn't know was coming). But what if you are able to see it coming? Block a punch? Give a quick kick to the groin? I am willing to suggest that without even the slightest martial arts training you might not even try. Even just a little training will help you build the confidence you need to maybe swiftly hit back and get away.
- Every shul needs to build a rapport with their local police. The police need to know who you are and vice versa. Invite them to kiddush, show your appreciation for them (my shul bakes them cookies on 12/24 and delivers in to the local police, fire, and ems stations - again, something in a small town that works, but might not in NYC).
- I am not a gun control nut, nor do I have the 2nd amendment tattooed on my chest. I've met several armed Jews. Some of them are former or current Law Enforcement or Military, and I'm happy to daven with them knowing that they'd protect our shul in a shooter situation. Some of them are random people with permits and guns, who I worry will be more likely to accidentally shoot me than save me when push comes to shove.
As much as we try to sensationalize the good guy with gun narrative, my favorite tale of a thwarted terror attack was the one in Germany on Yom Kippur - where the attacker was not allowed in the building, and only managed to kill two people on the street. Yes, their deaths are tragic, but better 2 people than 20 or 30.
I don't think anyone can stop anti semitism. Its galus. It's part of life. It has been and always will be.
What I do want is Jews to be more role models, more to go out of their way to be better people, to have better ethics, proper manners, just go above and beyond, to define and live up to our title as role models, as a light unto the world.
I want when there is a attack for regular sane people (-not only politicians and people on tv) to be able to confidently say that there really is no reason for the attacks. As opposed to now where I'm sure we have all seen the jersey city people talking after the attacks and go on any community facebook page where people are ok with it for various reasons... right or wrong, as long as they can rationalize it, we have to do better and live up to our jobs in this world.
If there is a attack, I need any rational person to be able to say this is senseless anti semitism, vs now where on tv people say that, but on facebook and peope talking not on the news, some are ok with it for fill in the blank reason...
Do better, go out of your way. Greet people, be friendly, hold a door, be a good neighbor, have stellar ethics in business, in life etc etc -You're different. You're dressing differently, you're representing something, you stick out like a sore thumb, and you need to stand up for it, you need to live up to it every single day. You need to be the best person you can be not only in your community, but to anyone who even gets a glimpse of you at any point in the day.
This way if something does happen, no one in their right mind can say oh them, figures blank blank blank...
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