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Ministry of Diaspora Affairs
and private philanthropy
in collaboration with the
Jewish Federations of North
America and the Security
Community Network
(SCN). While it has been
effectively used in several
other countries, this was the
first training conducted in
the United States.
“The timing is very good
in light of the increase in
antisemitic rhetoric and
hate crimes we’re seeing,”
Sikorski said.
The training sessions,
which took place at Farber
Hebrew Day School,
Congregation Shaarey
Zedek, Adat Shalom
Synagogue and the Jewish
Community Center, covered
topics that included how to
identify suspicious people
and objects, monitoring
access to synagogues, and
how security volunteers and
congregants can help.
“The primary goal of
our training is to prevent
an attack,” said Avidov
Bernstein, executive director
of CARE. “It can be some-
thing as simple as a locked
door, anything that makes it
difficult for an attacker.”
HOLIDAY SAFETY
According to CARE secu-
rity trainer Doron Shalev,
the High Holidays are
particularly risky because
most synagogues are at full
capacity, and the crowds
often include out-of-town
visitors and others who do
not attend services regular-
ly. Another security chal-
lenge is that people tend
to socialize outdoors and
then return to the sanctuary
during longer services.
Perpetrating a vio-
lent attack during Rosh
Hashanah or Yom Kippur
may motivate a terrorist
with an antisemitic agenda
who views the holidays as
symbolic and desires the
extensive publicity that will
undoubtedly follow.
“The goal of a terrorist or
attacker is to create fear and
cause the maximum number
of casualties,” Shalev said.
“In a large synagogue it’s
hard for [security] people to
know who belongs. Access
control is harder, and it’s
more difficult to protect
people outside.”
Shalev described three
categories of suspicious per-
sons and the characteristics
associated with each:
• The information gather-
er: This person is there to
do surveillance for a future
attack. These individuals
may exhibit nervous behav-
iors such as fidgeting and
looking around frequently.
In addition to surveying
entrances and other loca-
tions within the building,
they may spend an unusual
amount of time in the park-
ing lot and pretend to be
on the phone if someone
approaches.
• The attacker(s): These
individuals are there to exe-
cute an actual attack. They
behave nervously and may
be carrying a backpack or
bag or wearing a coat or
jacket in warm weather to
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“IT’S INCUMBENT UPON
ALL OF US TO BE ALERT.”
— GARY SIKORSKI
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY-WIDE SECURITY AT THE
JEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT