Concerns heightened among Jewish communities after missile attack on Israel
PHILADELPHIA - After Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel, synagogues and Jewish communities around the world are on heightened alert, including temples in our area.
"There's always a heightened concern within the Jewish community. We pretty much operate at a heightened level 365 days a year," said Bud Monaghan, Executive Director of JFed Security.
However, after Iran's missile attack on Israel Tuesday, with Rosh Hashanah beginning tomorrow night, and the one-year anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack on Monday, security around area synagogues and Jewish Community Centers is at an all-time high.
Iran launches missiles at Israel; Netanyahu promises retaliation
Israel reported that Iran fired missiles toward its territory, prompting authorities to order Jerusalem residents to shelter in place
"Even if we don't see anything or if we are not informed of any threats, we operate as if there are threats and we increase our security posture accordingly," Monaghan stated.
Bud Monaghan is the executive director of JFed Security, an initiative designed to ensure the safety of Jewish communities across a large section of New Jersey and the state of Delaware.
He says JFed recently purchased four portable weapons detection systems it can deploy to different locations based on the event and the threat level.
"It hits solely on the density of metal, so it increases the possibility we'll locate a weapon if someone is trying to come into a facility with a handgun," Monaghan explained.
It also has 53 retired law enforcement officers who work as guards, and it purchased two specialized vehicles.
"So we will also incorporate a roving patrol in those different areas to add an additional layer to our security posture," he added.
Monaghan says JFed is in constant contact with local, state, and federal law enforcement, and wants the Jewish community to know that everything possible is being done to keep them safe.
"We want people to remain vigilant in what they are doing, be aware of their surroundings, but also enjoy the holiday, worship freely, have the ability to go to services," he advised.
Following the news of Iran’s attack on Israel today, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia released the following statement:
"The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia unequivocally opposes the Islamic Republic of Iran’s brazen attack on Israel as part of yet another attempt to cause chaos and terror in the region. Together with the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community, we stand resolute in our support for Israel's right to safety and to defend themselves. It is again another stark reminder of Iran and its proxies’ expressed intent to eliminate Israel and harm the Jewish people. It is time for the world to stand up against terrorism. We mourn the loss of the victims and pray for the swift recovery of those injured. We are thankful for the United States’ support in actively defending Israel from the Iranian threat."
Philadelphia police say they too are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and assessing any potential impact locally.
They released the following statement Tuesday: "In light of the recent events in Israel and the Middle East, we are closely monitoring the situation and assessing any potential impacts on our local community. Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken proactive measures, including increased patrols around local Jewish and Islamic places of worship and community centers, to ensure the safety of all community members."
Out of an abundance of caution, police are taking proactive measures, including increasing patrols around local Jewish and Islamic places of worship and community centers.