Not waiting for the police: How US synagogue worshippers became a security force

Amid an unprecedented surge in antisemitic incidents in the US, Jewish communities are training thousands of worshippers as volunteer security teams in synagogues. A report on Axios indicates a 46-year high in physical attacks against Jews in 2025, including a double stabbing in New York and swastika spray-painting in California. The situation is linked to the 'Iron Swords' war and a shift in American attitudes.

Many synagogues in the United States have transformed their entrance doors from welcoming spaces into strict security checkpoints. Against the backdrop of an unprecedented rise in antisemitic incidents and growing threats to Jewish institutions, many communities are choosing to train their members as volunteer security teams. The traditional practice of hiring a guard for the High Holidays, installing cameras, and calling the police in an emergency is giving way to layered and complex defense systems. According to a report on the news site Axios, physical attacks against Jews in the US reached a 46-year high in 2025. Notable incidents included a double stabbing on the Upper West Side of New York and swastika spray-painting on a community center and a fire-damaged synagogue in California. The security situation is directly linked to the 'Iron Swords' war. A Gallup poll found that 41% of Americans now identify more with the Palestinians, compared to 36% with Israelis, and a Pew Research Center survey indicated a more negative attitude toward Israel since the Hamas attack in October 2023. According to Rabbi Leibovitz, the protests against synagogues around the war in Gaza reveal a deep double standard: 'No one in this country would think of protesting what is happening in Mexico during a Latin cultural event. This trend of bolstering security will only stop when the American Jewish community feels safe again, period.'

Not waiting for the police: How US synagogue worshippers became a security force