Florida – A New York City rabbi who thinks synagogues should be mazel-tough when it comes to security during holy days like Sunday’s Yom Kippur has taken matters into his own hands, offering his own brand of anti-terrorist training to clergy.
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However most local Jewish leaders said there are better ways to ensure safety than pistol-packing rabbis. Law enforcement doesn’t like it, either.
New York Rabbi Gary Moskowitz offers weapons and physical training to rabbis and instructors for $1,000, claiming Jewish houses of faith could be terrorist targets.
Rabbi Samuel Cywiak at St. Augustine’s First Congregation Sons of Israel said he knows all about survival after making it through Nazi prison camps in World War II.
“To be prepared is good,” said Cywiak, the only rabbi interviewed locally to give a thumbs-up to such anti-terrorist training.
“If it happens in New York and in other places, why not in the South?” the 90-year-old rabbi said Thursday. . “Why should we have victims if we can avoid it? If they know that we are armed, they will not come.”
New York Rabbis Training
However, a terse e-mail statement from Jacksonville Undersheriff Frank Mackesy on Moskowitz’s program said the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t “encourage anyone to take the law into their own hands. Be aware of your surroundings and contact the police.”
As well, Jacksonville Rabbi Martin Sandberg at Beth Shalom Congregation said training rabbis to use weapons to fight off intruders may be “pushing it too far” and “more dangerous than preventative” because a weapon could kill a bystander as easily as a terrorist.
“I would not like to see handguns kept in the synagogue,” he said. “Although police and FBI have given us suggestions on how to keep the synagogue secure, that is only locked doors, not working on arming themselves.”
Moskowitz is a former New York City police officer and president of the International Security Coalition of Clergy at the non-profit Tzedek Task Force on Counter Terrorism.
His group’s news release says there is a “clear and present danger emanating from extremist Muslim Jihads,” and rabbis must protect their congregations.
The rabbi joins other law enforcement veterans in offering a 100-hour combat shooting and apprehension program, and a more advanced 100-hour instructor’s course, each one costing $1,000. It trains congregation staff and rabbis in surveillance and screening, plus armed resistance and combat shooting, (as was reported first here on VIN News).
Northeast Florida had its own synagogue security issue in 1997, when Jacksonville Jewish Center member Harry Shapiro planted a bomb there to disrupt a speech by former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. The non-functional device wasn’t found until nine days after the speech and disarmed.
Rabbi David Gaffney was at the center in 1997 when the fake bomb was planted. Now head of the Conservative Synagogue of Fifth Avenue in New York City, he said more passive security is the way to protect worshippers. An added precaution for Sunday’s Yom Kippur services there is that all worshippers must sign up in advance with ID, he said.
“There are security personnel at the NYU Law School [worship services site], and they have to see that security person before they are admitted,” Gaffney said. “In life, everything is getting so angry and intense, which I find simply very disturbing. But I am not doing that [Moskowitz’s anti-terrorism course] at my age.”
Etz Chaim Synagogue Rabbi Nosson Kaiser said his Jacksonville staff takes security seriously. Their procedures are “designed and implemented in consultation with the FBI’s National Joint Terrorism Task Force, local law enforcement and private-sector security consultants.”
Armed security in a synagogue is a mistake that risks congregation members, added Rabbi Joshua Lief at Congregation Ahavath Chesed at 8727 San Jose Blvd.
“I would hate for members to miss out on the opportunity for their own spiritual enrichment because they are itching with their trigger finger to pull a gun on a would-be instigator,” Lief said. “Our local Sheriff’s Office does a good job of being aware of the needs of the Jewish community, patrolling and keeping our congregants safe. We have police officers out front on High Holy days.”
Beth Shalom has off-duty Jacksonville officers park outside on holy days, too, Sandberg noted.
“There is actually no way to stop a determined terrorist, but we can make ourselves a difficult target by having a policeman sit out front.”
As usual law enforcement wants to keep arms away from the honest law abiding citizens trying to defend their lives. I think anti-terrorist training is a terrific idea.
Words fail me. Rabbi Sandberg is living in la-la land if he thinks one lone policeman in his car makes the congregation a “difficult” target. Didn’t he ever hear of snipers? First a silenced shot to the cop’s head and then where’s the security? What happens when the terrorists dress in yarmulkes and come in for “their” once yearly?
Undersheriff Macksey’s comments sound like a veiled threat. He’d probably be glad to see his town ridden of a few dozen Jews.
Not big on the Second amendment are ya, Macksey?
As I said, words fail me to think of such wanton disregard for pikuach nefesh. No wonder these people support Two States and “Land for Peace” garbage. They haven’t a clue as to how the enemy thinks let alone operates.
Once a terrorist gets to the door, it’s all over unless there is someone there to GUARD that door. Even then there will be casualties. May they all be on the enemy side.
Nehemiah’s men were armed while they built the Second Beit Ha Mikdash. There is nothing wrong with bearing a side arm when there is a real and present threat.
“…the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t “encourage anyone to take the law into their own hands.”
I do not know of any jurisdiction in the United States, including New York, in which the use of force, including deadly force, to defend oneself and others from the threat of imminent death or great bodily harm is not legal under appropriate circumstances. Lawful defense of ones life and the lives of others is, and always has been, completely within the law and to hold otherwise denies the entire ethical system upon which this Nation and its laws are based.
Isn’t there an old expression..”G-D helps them who help themselves”…well in this case we need to be ready to help defend ourselves. I agree with poster #2 ’s comments…those hell bent on doing damage and taking lives will be hard to stop under any conditions of security.
Rabbi Moskowitz is 1000% correct. In todays atmosphere we must be proactive and that means knowing what to do and being able to do it! Un-armed security guards are useless and for the most part so are off duty police officers, unless they are swat trained or have been in anti terrorist training. Armed off duty police are better than security guards because they are armed and their training is better, however most of the off duty work is done by patrol officers and they do not have the necessary experience, Also in addition to uniformed officers there should be a plain clothesed officer as well, some one who blends in with the congregants.But first and foremost are the Rabbi & congragants because they know instick
Definitely the way to go. I’ve been carrying in shul since 2002. The Muslim radicals will follow the same steps in USA that they did/do around the rest of the world.
I’m for it only if there is PROPER and QUALIFIED training done. Carrying a weapon for personal protection and responding to shooters in shuls with a lot of people is very different and challenging. I’m afraid of an idea of an armed hassid in boro park.
I know several people who pack heat on Shabbos, and there are for sure more who haven’t told me.
People have a right to defend themselves, and thank Hashem we live in a country that recognizes that fundamental right. When seconds count, the police are only minutes away…
I think that every synagogue should have someone inside with a gun just in case a terrorist decides to go too “paradise,” and what the law enforcement says about not allowing guns makes no sense because by the time the police will arrive it will god forbid be too late!
Does this “law” come from the creator G-D, or does it come from the police and government? In who’s hands should the whole law be anyway? If we do not keep it in OUR hands and make it good, who shall?
Each rational person must take responsibility for their own life and safety, and care about their neighbor (or child) who is not able. I am armed at all times for exactly that reason.
“However, a terse e-mail statement from Jacksonville Undersheriff Frank Mackesy on Moskowitz’s program said the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t “encourage anyone to take the law into their own hands. Be aware of your surroundings and contact the police.” “
Who will run right into the thick of things to save you, right?
Google for “columbine police response” to see what happened there – the brave, strong, fearless police waited for everyone inside to die, THEN they entered the building.