Jewish communities boost security and continue observances amid rise in hateful incidents
Law enforcement respond to a call at Temple Israel synagogue Thursday, March 12, 2026, in West Bloomfield Township, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) 2026-03-25T00:30:53Z Law enforcement officials on Tuesday said they are taking steps to monitor and counter threats to Jewish and Muslim communities nationwide since the onset of war in the Middle East, multiple hate crimes and an attempted terror attack prompted increased security measures at places of worship and investigations into extremist activity.
As the FBI conducts an investigation into a March 12 incident in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in which a driver drove a vehicle through the doors of Temple Israel, the nation’s second-largest congregation in Reform Judaism, officials offered an assessment of threats against faith communities and discussed strategies for maintaining safety and security at places of worship. “We know a goal of our enemies is to scare us into submission so that we make a decision to not show up,” said Michael Masters, national director of the Secure Community Network, during a national security briefing that included insights from federal and local law enforcement agencies. “With strong safety and security measures in place, that doesn’t need to happen,” Masters said.
The network, which coordinates security for Jewish communities in North America, hosted the national security briefing ahead of Passover and amid rising global tensions.
Hateful incidents against Jewish people were recently documented in southern California and Toronto, while European officials are investigating car burnings in Antwerp and London as antisemitic attacks.
For many Jewish Americans, the antisemitic incidents have confirmed longstanding fears about the rise of antisemitism, as well as the need to vigorously counter extremism and live their faith undaunted by threats.
Meanwhile, the upsurge of virulent anti-Muslim rhetoric from some GOP politicians and Christian nationalists carries echoes of the early 2000s, when the 9/11 attacks and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars bred Islamophobic sentiment across the U.S. and around the world.
Jewish leaders meet with federal officials on threats to communities Jewish leaders have called on lawmakers and civic leaders to combat the heightened threats. “As shocking as the incident in Temple Israel was, it has become, for us in the Jewish community, no longer a surprise,” said Gary Torgow, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, during the briefing on security
原文链接: AP News