Comments on: A 5767 High Holy Days lesson

By: The Doctor

The Doctor — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 12:40:32 +0000

We had a debate about HH security at our synagogue board. People were seriously calling for metal detectors and armed guards in addition to “rent-a-cops.” The Rabbi suggested that before we go off the deep end we contact the local FBI office to ask their opinion, as the experts, in the local threat forecast [and we've never had more than a few broken windows which were not thought to be Jewish-specific] and it was actually hard work to convince the board to accept this sound advice. People WANTED to be scared and paranoid…

By: A (post) Bat Mitzvah Dad

A (post) Bat Mitzvah Dad — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 01:05:56 +0000

Well the police officers who have been at our congregation are there primarily to direct traffic. However, we have been increasing “security” each year since 9/11 and access into the building has become more controlled in general.

I do not think it is an overreaction – there have been too many nut cases who rather than just jumping off a bridge or shooting themselves in the basement, want to go out in a blaze of media attention (see: recent school shootings). That’s without the ones who want to make a twisted religous or political statement at the cost of my family and friends, or my neighbor’s family and friends (see LAX El Al counter attack, various attacks in DC, DC sniper, Seattle).

Quite seriously, I fully expect to hear one day that ours or one of the other synagogues in the area has been vandalized or worse, or, one of the local mosques for that matter (beyond the graffiti that appeared on the “future site of” sign for the one 2 miles from my house after 9/11).

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:54:31 +0000

I’m not trying to sound callous or smart-alleck, but I wonder if people are overreacting to the actual threat level. Clearly there are Jew-hating kooks out there, but attacks like the one in Seattle are extraordinarily rare. In particular, I’ve never heard of anyone attacking or plotting to attack an American synagogue during a service. Is it all that risky for a typical suburban synagogue to just hire a cop to direct traffic and not hire cops as armed guards?

By: Larry G

Larry G — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:23:59 +0000

“On a lighter note, I learned not to go to break-fast at George Allen’s, unless I want to try his mother’s famous holiday pork chops…”

But Doctor, she’s from a renowned Sephardic family. Surely she must have learned a traditional recipe.

By: The Doctor

The Doctor — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:16:49 +0000

On a lighter note, I learned not to go to break-fast at George Allen’s, unless I want to try his mother’s famous holiday pork chops…

By: michael

michael — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 07:56:36 +0000

This is reason number 842 why I made Aliyah.
No, I’m not really keeping track, but here in Israel, on Yom Kippur, everything shut down, there were no cars anywhere, and even the people who weren’t in shul were respectful of those of us who were.
The fast is a lot easier, and more meaningful, when most of the country is doing it with you.