Jewish communities across the United States are intensifying their security measures and emergency preparedness training in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah and other High Holidays, amid growing concerns over a rise in antisemitism.
Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency medical service, has partnered with the U.S.-based Community Security Service to conduct training sessions for security volunteers at synagogues nationwide. Aryeh Myers, a senior paramedic and International Affairs representative for Magen David Adom, stated that community members express deep worry about escalating antisemitic incidents.
"There is this heightened sense of concern, of worry that these attacks are now a question of when rather than if," Myers told Fox News Digital.
Myers has been leading the "First 7 Minutes" training course, which teaches volunteers how to respond in the immediate aftermath of an attack before first responders arrive. The training covers essential first aid, effective communication with emergency services, and how to best assist them upon their arrival.
"Our expertise is in response to mass casualty events," Myers explained. "We respond on the national level to everything from delivering babies, to terror attacks to war situations." He highlighted the unique advantage Magen David Adom brings due to its extensive experience with mass casualty events. "The advantage that Magen David Adom brings is unfortunately having that level of experience, that we have seen multiple mass casualty attacks and multi-casualty attacks and have learned from those."
These security preparations come in the context of increasing antisemitism globally since the October 7 attacks in Israel. U.S. universities have been focal points for anti-Israel and antisemitic activities during the conflict in Gaza. A recent report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also indicated that Jewish educators are experiencing significant antisemitism within teachers' unions.
The ADL report surveyed 307 Jewish members of teachers unions, revealing that many feel compelled to self-censor and are dissatisfied with their unions' responses to antisemitism concerns. "What we found is not the work of a few bad actors. It is a structural and cultural failure," said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. "Jewish educators deserve to feel safe and protected in their union spaces. And instead of that, they are self-censoring and fearing backlash for raising concerns."
Sydney Altfield, CEO of Teach Coalition, an organization advocating for Jewish schools, expressed concern over the findings, noting that teachers unions are intended to represent and protect all educators. "What strikes me is that these unions are supposed to be homes for everyone, and [they're] not being that," Altfield told Fox News Digital.
According to the ADL report, a significant majority of Jewish educators, 70%, agreed that raising concerns about the treatment of Jews within union spaces could lead to professional repercussions.
