16 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 

whatever way worked for her,” 
Miller says. “... It is paralyzing 
to simply wait in fear.” 
Miller usually does not 
use email or social media 
on Shabbat, yet he put out a 
post to inform the Beth El 
community and to ask for 
prayers while also protecting 
the identity of the rabbi’s family 
members. Additionally, he 
sent a message to the Temple’s 
board of trustees and notified 
them that he would only send 
out another notice once the 
situation was resolved to honor 
the family’s privacy.
“We are all so thankful for 
the overwhelming support 
we’ve received from the 
entire community,” says 
Cytron-Walker’s Michigan 
family in a statement. “We 
hope that people will use this 
opportunity to follow Rabbi 
Charlie’s lead by combating 
anger and hate with kindness, 
love and decency.” 
Beth El’s Miller said the 
time following the crisis would 
be a time for outreach and 
reflection, which would not 
only include gratitude that 
the four hostages escaped 
physically unharmed, but also 

“a serious discussion about the 
nature of antisemitism and our 
security at Temple.”

STAYING VIGILANT
Though Jewish organizations 
are built on being inclusive and 
welcoming, they must also be 
secure for those who use them. 
Technology certainly plays a 
role, but ultimately training, 
policies, procedures and 
protocols are key to keeping 
everyone safe so they can 
have a meaningful communal 
experience.
“Going to 
synagogue 
shouldn’t take an 
act of courage,” 
says Gary 
Sikorski, director 
of community-
wide security 
for the Jewish Federation 
of Metropolitan Detroit. “It 

should literally be a sanctuary, 
and so we have to find that 
balance between security and 
being welcoming and open. 
It’s a tough balance to find 
sometimes.”
Sikorski emphasizes that 
security is “everybody’s 
business,” meaning that if 
community members see 
something unusual, they 
should report it, and also that 
people should make sure, 
when shopping for a school, 
daycare or synagogue, that 
they consider the security in 
place. At the same time, with 
that awareness, life at Jewish 
institutions must keep thriving. 
“I think we have to carry on 
as normally as possible,” he 
says. 
Primarily through Feder-
ation efforts, the community 
has invested significant funds 
to improve target hardening 

and has put technology in 
place — with the goal of 
making sure every synagogue 
has the ability to lock its doors 
and vet visitors or guests as 
they come in. 
But the human element 
is critical as well, he says. 
“Having trained staff, especially 
clergy as well as congregants, 
is really an important part of 
an all-hazards response plan,” 
Sikorski says. “This [Texas] 
incident clearly illustrates 
the importance of training, 
planning and preparation.” 
Federation’s security 
program started in 2006 and, 
in 2008, increased its reach 
with security in place at Jewish 
agencies and on the Eugene 
and Marcia Applebaum Jewish 
Community Campus in West 
Bloomfield as well as the A. 
Alfred Taubman campus in 
Oak Park. In 2013, Federation 

“GOING TO SYNAGOGUE SHOULDN’T TAKE AN ACT OF 
COURAGE. IT SHOULD LITERALLY BE A SANCTUARY, 
AND SO WE HAVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE BETWEEN 
SECURITY AND BEING WELCOMING AND OPEN.” 

— GARY SIKORKSI

continued from page 15

Gary 
Sikorski

MYJEWISHDETROIT.ORG

ANDY JACOBSOHN/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES VIA JTA

A police team 
at work at 
Congregation 
Beth Israel, 
Colleyville, 
Texas, Jan. 15.