The American Jewish community is facing the most threatening environment in our nation’s history. The likelihood of an attack on our soil targeting the Jewish community has never been higher. Recently, the director of the FBI noted that the “board is blinking red,” in reference to a potential attack on US soil. The board is indeed blinking red – and fast.
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the world has witnessed an escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. Following an airstrike that struck Iranian military leaders in Syria earlier this month, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed, “The Zionist regime will be punished by the hands of our brave men. We will make it regret this crime and others it has committed.” Additionally, his political adviser issued a statement holding the United States “directly responsible whether or not it was aware of the intention to carry out this attack.”
"The board is blinking red"
And now, Iran and its proxies have launched a series of attacks on Israel, including rockets from Gaza and Lebanon, a cyberattack, and waves of drone and missile strikes originating from Iran, Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere in the region.
Additionally, on April 4, a Palestinian assassination attempt on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was thwarted by Israel’s security agency.
Make no mistake: The enemies of Israel and of America have not paused in their efforts to kill or attack. They have seen recent events as an opportunity to push their agenda of hate and violence.
We have seen foiled attacks in Western Europe, Brazil, and Canada – and successful ones: an Islamic State affiliate just attacked a concert venue in Moscow and killed over 100 innocent people.
Iran and other foreign terrorist organizations have now made it clear that the US and its Jewish community, are prime targets for future attacks. We would be wise to listen and recognize this reality.
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray testified that “Here in the United States, our most immediate concern is that violent extremists – individuals or small groups – will draw inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks against Americans... not just homegrown violent extremists inspired by a foreign terrorist organization, but also domestic violent extremists targeting Jewish or Muslim communities.”
The Islamic State has called for a massacre of Jews by “lone wolves” in the US by urging their proxy groups and individuals to “target Jewish people, especially in the US.” This followed a pro-al-Qaeda magazine’s call for lone-wolf shooters in the US to avenge the Palestinians in Gaza. Plus, the FBI recently released an alert in search of an Iranian intelligence officer allegedly working to recruit individuals to surveil religious institutions in the US.
SO, WHAT can we do? As we head into Passover, a story of resilience, we must draw from our ancestor’s strength and refuse to let our enemies dictate our lives. This is done through preparation and vigilance.
Protecting ourselves against these threats requires a collective effort. Every facility must be prepared, and every member of the community must be engaged.
This begins with recognizing the unique nature of today’s threat environment. We cannot expect that an overseas conflict will stay there. Understanding this, my organization, the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America, has been working to protect the Jewish community by partnering with key law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations.
We established a Red Cell Task Force comprising members of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DHS, to continuously assess potential catalysts that could motivate domestic attacks. It is supported by SCN’s Jewish Security Operations Command Center (JSOCC): a 24/7 data hub that monitors threats and disseminates credible and timely information to law enforcement agencies and key public safety partners to thwart attacks.
We have built a professional system to prepare and protect our community, but we can’t do it alone. From congregants to lay leadership, schoolteachers to Jewish camp counselors, we all must intensify our preparation and vigilance.
Act according to our trademark phrase: “If You See Something, Say Something.”
Incident reporting is a significant piece of developing a security shield around our community. Communicating and coordinating with law enforcement will help keep our community safe. Last year, our partners at the ADL recorded a record 3,697 antisemitic incidents; SCN reported a record 1,619 persons of interest to law enforcement.
Ensure your congregation has a comprehensive security plan. If you don’t know, ask your leadership. Connect with the security professionals who serve your community. The plan must bolster physical security, improve relationships with local law enforcement, and include security training for everyone. This is vital to keeping us and our children safe.
Get trained. Training is crucial to preparing for attacks and learning how to survive them. Last year, SCN trained over 58,000 members of the community. Survivors of the Tree of Life attack and the Colleyville hostage-taking both credit their survival to the strategies and techniques learned from being trained. This training can be provided by SCN and national partner organizations working on antisemitism, public safety issues, and Jewish life.
These steps all work to enhance the safety of our community. We have a choice: to let fear win by putting our heads in the sand and hiding our identity or to confront those who would wish for us to fall away. We need to make clear that we are not going anywhere. Our preparedness is in our hands. We need to act now.
The writer is national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network, the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America.