First Pittsburgh, then Poway.
 
For the second time in six months, American Jews are confronting the terrifying question: How can we be safe inside our synagogues?
 
Amazingly, American Jews haven't had to think much about this problem since the 1950s, when white supremacist groups set off a bomb in an Atlanta synagogue. After that, guards for High Holiday services became the norm, but year-round security came to be seen as too expensive — and blessedly unnecessary. The threats were in Israel and Europe, not here.
 
Now, suddenly, everything is different. And experts are saying that there are things that synagogues should do to make themselves safer.
 
The Experts' Safety Recommendations:
Their number one recommendation? Don’t just leave your doors open. Poway must mark the end of an era of easy hospitality for many American synagogues.  
 
Training is another way to fight that feeling of helplessness. It can actually help when danger strikes. It did make a difference in Poway. It did make a difference in Pittsburgh.
 
Poway’s mayor said the carnage would have been worse if the congregation hadn’t recently learned how to respond to an active shooter.  
 
And in Pittsburgh, the rabbi who made the first call to 911 had only started carrying his phone on Shabbat because a security expert said he should.
 
Of course, everyone is wondering, what about guns? Experts say congregations should hire armed guards for as many hours a week they can afford.
 
Can We Afford It?
Yes, it’s expensive. But even here, there are things you can do, steps you can take — right now. There’s funding available. For the first time this year, the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program will fund armed security guards at synagogues. Applications are due in May. Some city Federations are also offering free security assessments and other forms of support.
 
Are There Other Risks?
It's important to remember that heightened security can bring its own dangers. With more guards in front of more synagogues, the sense of safety they offer will come with more opportunities for profiling, miscommunication and gatekeeping. Black Jews and Jews of color going to services trend to be stopped and questioned by congregants or security officers. Again, the answer is training, said Rabbi Sandra Lawson, an associate chaplain at Elon University who is black.
 
“We know what the perpetrators of these kinds of crimes look like,” Lawson said. “They're not black. They're not brown.”
 
Let Us Know:
If your synagogue is changing its security plan, or if you are a congregant seeking active shooter training, please tell us your story: Write me at feldman@forward.com.
 
Warmly,
 
Ari Feldman
Staff Writer