The High Holidays are always one of the busiest times in the Jewish year, with increased attendance at services and plenty of activities happening constantly during the season.
The increased volume of people and attention to the Jewish calendar warrants an increase in attention on safety and security, especially in today’s age, with increasing threats against Jewish communal life.
But that push for increasing security is not a new one.
In this month’s edition of “Remember When,” we’re looking back to a story from the Sept. 1–7, 1983, edition of The Jewish Week, titled “ADL asks for police assistance during holidays.”
The article said that the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith contacted the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and local police to request security assistance during the High Holiday season.
“We are simply abiding by the adage, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ commented ADL Assistant Director Sally Greenberg.”
Greenberg added that the community could not afford to be lax about security for houses of worship. The ADL had asked police departments to pay extra attention to synagogues on High Holiday dates.
The ADL said that there was “complete cooperation” from local law enforcement, and that Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Arlington County and Alexandria County police had responded to the request.
The story added that police had sent letters to the synagogues letting them know whom to contact in case of issues and with whom to coordinate security checks of the buildings.
Today, we see this partnership with local law enforcement continue as departments across the DMV will provide protection during the High Holiday season and increase presence around Jewish organizations after events like the firebomb attack in Colorado earlier this summer.
