Synagogue shooting brings security issues to forefront
Faith leaders urge unity, compassion as they look for ways to ensure houses of worship are safe for all
When Rabbi Brian Strauss of Houston’s Beth Yeshurun first learned about the shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, he was immediately distraught and concerned about the victims and their families.
“I was very saddened that one evil human being could cause so much destruction,” he said. “And it’s concerning that there’s a fringe minority of people who dislike my people simply because we have different beliefs.”
It wasn’t long before members of the congregation started reaching out to their leader.
“People were asking a couple of questions, like what can we do to help the people in Pittsburgh,” Strauss recalled. “What can we do to strengthen our synagogue?”
Staying safe, banding together and sharing compassion have risen to the top of Jewish minds across the country after the tragedy in Pittsburgh in which a gunman fatally shot 11 people inside the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27.
A key effort going forward is security at places of worship and other facilities.
Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of North America, said security measures must be expanded after the shooting. “This was a game changer,” he said.
The Jewish Federation of North America is joining forces with the Anti-Defamation League to examine security practices across the country — at synagogues, community centers and religious schools — and to create a task force to make improvements.
“We have to step up our
capabilities,” Silverman said.
The federation is also asking the government to consider increasing federal funding for security in faith-based institutions.
Cameras, bulletproof glass and gates could be added in certain spaces to increase safety, Silverman said.
“We’re looking to come up with clear strategies for our community to adopt and develop,” he said.
In addition, Rabbi Adrienne Scott at Beth Israel said that security was added at local vigils following the shooting. “We have too much at stake to not be protective and mindful,” she said. “It’s a different time now. You want your synagogue to be a safe space.”
Joel Dinkin, CEO of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in Houston, said that security has been at the forefront of operations for some time.
“We live in a world today where we have to always be mindful of safety,” he said. “That’s just a part of our lives. It’s today’s reality, and it’s tomorrow’s as well.”
He said that the Jewish Community Center has developed a security protocol — and periodically reviews best practices. Regularly scheduled active-shooters drills already are in place.
“We’re in an environment that requires diligence and responsibility,” he said. “We’re membership-driven, but we also host public events. We’re used to that dynamic.”
Similarly, Scott makes security needs at Beth Israel a top priority — especially concerning the day school attached to the temple.
Still, she is looking for ways to improve. “We learned from this,” she said. “We’re always looking to improve. We cannot be complacent or unaware.”
Scott said that healing comes as Houstonians continue to band together, as interfaith dialogue and support builds.
“We stumble and we fall, but we stand back up,” she said. “We renew our faith, and we stay connected.”
There’s a sense of belonging and resilience that keeps the Jewish community moving forward, Scott added.
“When we’re hurting, we find we have a shared voice, and we come together,” she said.
She is also convinced that the trend has to continue as a nation.
“Hating the other is nothing new,” Scott said. “In the Torah, we learn that we can’t be indifferent. We have to participate in difficult conversations. And the synagogue remains a place of openness, inclusion and awareness.”
Strauss hopes that heated rhetoric in the U.S. will calm down.
“People who hold different political views are not our enemies,” he said. “That’s what’s so great about America. We can differ in our beliefs.”
As the country approaches the holidays, he urges members of all faiths to stick together and stay strong.
“Continue to visit your places of worship,” he said. “Don’t be deterred by the fringe. They do not represent the American values of community and gratefulness, religious tolerance, brotherhood and sisterhood that we’ve always cherished.
Silverman, who came to Houston a couple times after Hurricane Harvey, and said he witnessed a similar spirit across the country in the wake of the Pittsburgh shooting.
Not only did he find an interfaith gathering of support but also Jewish Federation chapters and synagogues from all around the U.S. showed their solidarity.
“Pittsburgh was such a horrific act of hate and anti-Semitism,” he said. “It was pure hate, someone who was sick and broke the beauty and sanctity of coming into a synagogue by murdering 11 people.”
After the shooting, Silverman observed how the Pittsburgh community came together in a way that served as a role model for other cities.
“It was such an outpouring of passion and humanity and love,” Silverman said.