Complied by Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
Thursday in Michigan there was another attack on a synagogue in the United States.
Here in San Diego, synagogues around the county are updating their congregants on the increased security measures and encouraging them not to be afraid to attend Shabbat services this weekend.
Below are some letters from local synagogues to remind us to stay strong, and if you see something, say something.
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Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi Devorah Marcus and Rabbi Benji Fried: “Today (Thursday, March 12) has been a difficult day. We are so thankful that no one at Temple Israel was seriously harmed. As soon as we heard the news, we followed our well-established security protocols and worked in close concert with our community security partners, including our wonderful SDPD, and our security coordinators at the San Diego Jewish Federation. We have received regular visits throughout the day from law enforcement, and we have increased our on-site security presence. As is always the case, we will continue living our Jewish lives with purpose, mindfulness, energy, enthusiasm, determination, and joy. No cowardly acts of terrorism will deter us from being who we are. We are stronger than the storms of the day, and we are always our best when we stand united together as a synagogue family and a community. We look forward to seeing you this Shabbat as well as celebrating life, learning, and Jewish living together.”
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue: “We understand that the incident that occurred today (Thursday, March 12) at Temple Israel in Michigan may feel unsettling for many in our community. As always, the safety and security of our children, members, staff, and visitors remain our highest priority. Tifereth Israel’s professional and lay leadership, along with our Security Committee and our Security personnel, remain in close contact with the San Diego Police Department and other safety authorities. We continually review and update our security protocols to ensure the safety of everyone on our campus. Some of these measures are intentionally kept confidential to maintain their effectiveness, but please be assured that we remain vigilant and proactive in protecting our community. We also ask for your partnership. Please continue to carry and use your ID badges, remain aware of your surroundings, and report anything that seems out of the ordinary to our security guard or any member of our professional and administrative team. As a community, we are keeping all those impacted by the events at Temple Israel in our thoughts as they navigate this difficult moment.”
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Congregation Beth El, President Cliff Boro: “Like many of you, I was deeply shaken by today’s (Thursday, March 12’s) news of the attack on a synagogue in Michigan. My heart, and all of our hearts, go out to that community as they face this horrific tragedy. Moments like these are painful reminders of the world we live in and of why we must never be complacent. At the same time, I want to take this opportunity to share with you the deep commitment that Beth El has made to the safety of our congregation. This commitment spans many years and reflects the dedication of so many in our community. We are extraordinarily grateful for the security fence and advanced technology that protects our campus, made possible through the generous lead gift of the Jacobs family and the support of many other donors. Their investment in our safety is a true act of love for this community. I also want to express my deepest gratitude to our former President, Graeme Gabriel, whose tireless efforts in raising the resources for the fence and our technology have made such a profound difference. We have also worked diligently over the years to hire and train excellent security professionals. I am especially grateful for the outstanding leadership of Charles, our head of security. Charles and our entire security team give us reason to feel confident every time we walk through our doors. We remain in close contact with law enforcement and other security resources. Just last week, we had the privilege of welcoming representatives from the San Diego Police Department for a thorough review of our campus, our technology, and our guard protocols. Their assessment was clear: Beth El is one of the best-prepared religious institutions they have encountered. That affirmation means a great deal and reflects the hard work that so many have put in on our behalf. At the same time, we never assume that our work is finished. Our security team continuously monitors conditions and evaluates our procedures, and we will adjust our protocols whenever necessary to ensure the continued safety of our community. Vigilance and preparedness remain our constant priorities. I am deeply grateful to our security guards, our Security Committee, our Rabbis, and our entire staff for their unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of every person at Beth El. As we prepare to gather with family and friends for Passover, I am reminded that the story of our people has always been one of resilience, faith, and hope. May this Passover bring you warmth, joy, and meaning, and may we continue to celebrate together in safety and in spirit. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions, concerns, or thoughts.”
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue, Rabbi Scott Meltzer, President Marvin Yudkovitz, and Executive Director Gillian Argoff-Treseder: “Tragically, and double-tragically, it is not surprising that violence continues to run rampant here in the United States, with a disproportionate amount of it directed squarely at Jews and the Jewish community. Like us, I am sure you have been watching updates as we continue to learn more about the car attack on a synagogue in Detroit and the shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia. And again, we want to assure you that we have (again) been in contact with SDPD, SCN (the Secure Community Network for Jewish Communities), our private security company, and other relevant agencies with whom we work closely to ensure the safety of Ohr Shalom at all times. If you are on Facebook, you may have seen the San Diego Police Department’s post about increased security in response to the Detroit attack. (See the attached picture, or click here for the Facebook post.) Notice the picture is in front of our building! Thank you to SDPD for helping to protect us and the entire community every day. Also, please know that this week is the first Shabbat when we are beginning our Shabbat Security Usher program, having an usher in the back of the sanctuary for each of our services to be part of our emergency response team, including carrying an emergency radio, and being ready to close and lock the hallway door in case of an emergency. Thank you to those who have already volunteered to serve the community in this way. Finally, we have a request to make to everybody. The synagogue needs you, just as each of us needs the synagogue. The best thing to do in the face of the ever-increasing assaults on our safety, is to come to synagogue. We will be smart about security, and we will not be scared from living our Jewish lives. We really hope to see you tomorrow evening at 6:15PM for Kabbalat Shabbat Services and 9:30AM Saturday morning for Shabbat Morning Services!”
“As a synagogue, we are generally wary of advocating in the political sphere, recognizing that we are a diverse community, and we believe strongly in the US separation of church and state. Opposing the rising tide of antisemitism and advocating for the safety and security of the Jewish community, make it imperative that we become more vocal and more active. Next week, the SD City Council is considering the adoption of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) Definition of Antisemitism. It will be a big statement of the City’s commitment to condemn and confront antisemitism in San Diego. There is motivated opposition to the IHRA definition, and we need the City Council to hear from us. This opposition is not focused on the definition, but on the examples of antisemitism attached to the definition. These examples include some in which anti-Israel rhetoric crosses over into the area of antisemitism. It DOES NOT say that criticism of Israel is antisemitism. It offers some rubric to help identify when criticism becomes antisemitism. As an easy example, the anti-Israel vandalism of our synagogue is clearly antisemitic. It makes no sense to deny otherwise. Also, the adoption of the IHRA definition DOES NOT limit free speech. The laws guaranteeing free speech are unaffected by this. We hope you will join us in advocating that the SD City Council adopt the IHRA definition at the meeting this Tuesday, March 17 at 2:00PM. You can do so by attending the meeting in support, and you can also contact your City Council representative sharing your support for adopting the IHRA definition. … Should you want to discuss any of this, please reach out to us. We hope you will contact the SD City Council, and perhaps we will see you next Tuesday.
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Congregation Dor Hadash, Rabbi Mike Rothbaum: “When someone is ill, we pray a MiSheberach, a prayer for healing. The traditional blessing asks for refuat ha’nefesh u’refuat ha’guf — “healing of spirit and healing of body.” It’s notable that the spirit is mentioned first. Physical wellbeing is inextricable from spiritual wellbeing. Today we are praying for the physical wellbeing of a security guard, as well as numerous first-responders, who helped save the lives of children and adults at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. As you mostly likely know, the synagogue was brutally attacked by a man who drove a truck into the building and down a hallway, all while preschool was in session. We pray that the brave guard and other first responders are healed of all their wounds, completely and quickly. As befits our teaching, we also pray for spiritual healing. We pray for healing of spirit for the synagogue community traumatized by a vicious attack on their home. We pray for the spirit of a nation in which violence is all too common, a nation that extols such violence as a first instinct rather than a last resort. We pray that those who hate us, only because we are Jews, be healed of the chronic cancer of antisemitism. We pray too for those in our Jewish communities, and those who know us, that our hearts not succumb to the equally dangerous cancers of xenophobia and Islamophobia. Ribbono shel Olam, Master of Space and Time, we pray: In a world ill with hatred, sick with addiction to violence, please heal us. Please reveal to us the full humanity of all Your precious children, all created in Your image, all so much more than their names and labels and identifiers, all deserving of safety, dignity, and joy — וְיָשְׁב֗וּ אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֧חַת גַּפְנ֛וֹ וְתַ֥חַת תְּאֵנָת֖וֹ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד כִּי־פִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת דִּבֵּֽר Then everyone will sit under their vine and under their figtree without disturbance, as the mouth of the God of multitudes has spoken.” (Micah 4:4)”
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World.