The head of a US Jewish security group urges the community to “refresh and recommit to their security protocols” for the Hanukkah holiday.
“Hanukkah is a very public celebration of Jewish life and it’s important for our rabbis and Jewish leaders to be mindful of security,” Dov Ben-Shimon, the head of the Community Security Service, tells The Times of Israel.
He stresses the importance of Jewish community coordination with law enforcement partners for the holiday.
American Jews have become more focused on protecting themselves since the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel and subsequent surge in antisemitism in the US, says Ben-Shimon, who took the reins of CSS last month. The organization coordinates security for Jewish groups around the US.
“We have clearly become a more security-conscious community,” Ben-Shimon says. “It’s been heartening to see the growing commitment of Jewish community leadership to protecting Jewish life.”
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