Last Saturday’s hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, ended well — with all four hostages safe and the suspect dead.
Still, the incident offers five reminders.
Antisemitism is on the rise and can happen anywhere
Year after year, Jews are the leading target for hate crimes among religious groups in the United States, according to the FBI. It is unfortunate that even in 2022, Jews have to be worried about their security. It’s not just Islamic terrorism, which the Colleyville hostage-taker was motivated by. Jews must be concerned by the far Left, the far Right, and others.
Antisemitism can occur on a college campus, on the street, online, or at a synagogue, even in a town with a small Jewish population such as Colleyville.
The FBI needs a reminder as to what antisemitism is
One doesn’t need to be a law enforcement official to know that any attack on a Jewish house of worship is antisemitic. But only after pushback did the FBI come to its senses and say, “This is a terrorism-related matter in which the Jewish community was targeted.” The FBI should mandate antisemitism training for all personnel.
It’s unfortunate, but Jewish institutions need tight security
Jewish institutions, especially synagogues, have increased security since the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Every Sabbath, I see a D.C. Metropolitan Police officer or two outside my synagogue. I always thank them when I enter and exit the building. Antisemitism is absurd and evil, but we must deal with the world we live in. In turn, Jews and government authorities must act relentlessly to deter and, if necessary, defeat threatening actors.
The U.S. government needs to up its response to domestic antisemitism
As former U.S. Deputy Special Envoy Ellie Cohanim has noted, the White House needs an antisemitism czar to deal with this problem. As I’ve written, we also need a presidential commission on antisemitism.
More steps are also advisable. Congress should reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program to allow recipients to use up to 100% of their funds on armed security. While locked doors and other physical hardening efforts are helpful, ultimately a good guy with a gun is the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun — or worse. Congress should also increase funding for this program.
Thank goodness for law enforcement
It’s a simple point but one often left unstated. Were it not for the brave men and women of law enforcement who responded quickly to the Colleyville situation, negotiated with the suspect, and eventually went into the synagogue, we would likely be mourning the death of those innocent hostages. Defunding the police only enables violent criminality.
This week marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Jews in America have come a long way since civil rights were achieved for not only blacks but also Jews and other minorities. That said, the threat of antisemitism sadly remains real. It must be unequivocally condemned and combated no matter the source.
Jackson Richman is a journalist in Washington, D.C. Follow him @jacksonrichman.
