Local Synagogues Heighten Security After Kansas Shootings
Passover begins at sundown Monday night and some local Jewish institutions and synagogues are being extra vigilant. A man suspected of being a white supremacist killed three people outside a Jewish Community Center and a nearby assisted living facility in Kansas this past weekend.
Laurence Rosenthal is a Rabbi at Ahavath Achim Synagogue in Atlanta. He says his congregation is moving forward with Passover events as scheduled, but the shootings have prompted extra security precautions.
“We have good security in my congregation. We have taken it very seriously for a long time, but they’re here a little bit more, they’re watching a lot more closely because of it.”
Still, Rosenthal says it’s unfortunate the extra vigilance is necessary.
“I don’t personally feel like I’m in danger or anything. I feel like they are a good line of defense, and they will take care us, but it’s just sad that they have to be here.”
The Temple in Atlanta is also moving forward with its Passover events.
Rabbi Peter Berg says the Temple takes steps to address security year round, but is being even more alert as a result of the shootings.
“We’re going to do everything in our ability to make sure everybody is safe.”
Berg said the shootings made some in his congregation recall a bombing that occurred at the Temple in 1958. No one was injured in the bombing but the building experienced significant damage.
“They see what’s happening in Kansas and hearken back to the experiences that we’ve had here at the Temple and want to make sure that something like that doesn’t happen or anywhere for that matter again.”
However, Berg says it’s important not to let fear prevail.
“Particularly on a holiday like Passover, it’s important for us to continue to live and to celebrate and to not be afraid to go into our Jewish institutions.”
The Anti-Defamation League has issued a nationwide security alert due to the shootings, including throughout the Southeast region.
Meanwhile, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta says it believes the shootings are an isolated incident and those it works with are already taking needed security steps. As a result, the Federation has sent out information on the shootings and is asking for continued vigilance but is not advising changes to any security protocols.
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