At sundown on Friday, Sept. 11, Jewish families across the United States will welcome Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, walking past armed guards, surveillance cameras, secured doors and bag checks. The coincidence of the 9/11 anniversary and the holiday highlights how the 2001 terrorist attacks transformed security at synagogues from an occasional precaution into a permanent precondition of communal life.
From occasional guards to daily protection
Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, told Fox News Digital that the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is “very meaningful” for the Jewish community. He noted that before the attacks, many synagogues relied only on basic alarm systems or occasional police assistance during High Holidays. After 9/11, the community recognized that the perpetrators of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks also harbored a special animus toward Jews, prompting a nationwide security overhaul.
National infrastructure and costs
A recent study by the Jewish Federations of North America estimates that Jewish communal institutions spend roughly $1 billion annually on security. Based on an examination of more than 4,500 institutions, that translates to nearly $2.8 million each day to keep worship spaces open and accessible. The organization now leads a national initiative placing professional security directors in all 141 Federation communities.
Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, contrasted his block’s churches—open doors inviting worshippers—with his synagogue’s double‑door system, cameras and a line of guards, noting the “untold thousands of dollars” cost.
Volunteer training and incident response
The Community Security Service (CSS) reported that more than 20,000 volunteers completed training in 2025. Those volunteers protected 440 synagogues and nearly 100 Jewish events, logging over 300,000 guard hours across 24 states. The Secure Community Network (SCN) recorded 4,400 incident reports, trained 40,000 people and made 851 referrals to law enforcement in the same year. Michael Masters, SCN’s national director and CEO, said the Duty Desk logged nearly 3,200 threat incidents this year, “pacing ahead of last year.”
Rising threats and recent attacks
Steinmetz warned that threats “exploded after Oct. 7th,” linking the surge to heightened anti‑Israel sentiment. FBI data show 1,528 hate‑crime incidents targeting Jews in 2025—63 % of the nation’s 2,408 religiously motivated crimes. Although Jews comprise roughly 2 % of the U.S. population, they accounted for 14 % of all hate crimes reported.
During the first eight months of 2026, New York City’s overall crime fell 6.2 %, yet confirmed hate crimes against Jews rose 8 %, from 212 to 229 incidents—averaging one such crime every 25 hours, according to NYPD figures.
Law‑enforcement coordination and local responses
The NYPD confirmed it will hold a briefing ahead of the High Holidays and provide additional security details. In New Jersey, the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness is coordinating with the Attorney General’s Office, state police, the FBI’s Newark field office and local partners to protect houses of worship.
Recent violent incidents underscore the need for vigilance. In August, a man disrupted a Friday night service at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue, damaging ceremonial candlesticks and assaulting a congregant and guard. Earlier, an attacker inspired by Hezbollah rammed a pickup truck loaded with gasoline and fireworks into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Although a guard was wounded, all 140 children in the early‑childhood center escaped unharmed.
Calls for federal assistance
Fingerhut emphasized that “no family should have to weigh their safety against their faith.” Employing a full‑time security guard costs an estimated $90,000 per year. The Jewish Federations are advocating for the bipartisan Jewish American Security Act, which would strengthen federal assistance for at‑risk nonprofit institutions.
For Jewish families gathering this High Holiday season, the question is no longer whether security is necessary, but who will bear the growing cost of ensuring worship can continue safely.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
