Is this attack part of a broader trend of antisemitic violence?  And what can synagogues and other houses of worship do to protect themselves? 

By The IDF Club

In an unprecedented attack on a Michigan synagogue, a male assailant rammed his car loaded with explosives into Temple Israel and struck a security officer.  The attacker then entered the synagogue with a rifle, but he was shot and killed by an armed security officer.  

Due to the quick and effective response of the armed security team hired by the Detroit synagogue, none of the staff or congregants were reported to have been killed or injured.  Only the security guard who was rammed by the assailant’s vehicle sustained injuries, which are not perceived to be life-threatening.

Temple Israel boasts over 12,000 members and claims to be the largest Reform synagogue in the United States.  Thus, this thwarted attack had the potential to cause an enormous loss of life.  

While the identity of the attackers as well as the motive are not yet officially released at the time of this writing, there has been a clear uptick in violence by radical Moslem extremists – especially against Jewish targets – in recent years.  This rise in violent antisemitism is often linked to military actions by the Israel Defense Force – first against Hamas in Gaza after the terror group’s heinous attacks against Israeli military infrastructure and civilian communities and gatherings on October 7, 2023.  More recently, the bombing of Iran by the Israel Air Force alongside the United States Air Force under the direction of President Donald J. Trump has been cited by radical Islamists as a motivating factor.   

Y.M. Ben-Caro is a sergeant major in the IDF combat reserves and also former the head of security for several Jewish communities in the United States.  IDF veterans like Ben-Caro often who are also affiliated with Jewish communities outside of Israel often voluntarily offer their assistance with local security programs.

Accordingly, Ben-Caro has been in touch with numerous American Jewish communities since October 7, 2023 – even while simultaneously serving in the IDF reserves in the theatres of Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria – to provide them with helpful guidance to ensure the safety of their communities.

“Many communities don’t take their security seriously until it’s too late,” Ben-Caro commented after being informed of the attack on the Michigan synagogue.  “But effective security protocols can make the difference between a ‘close call’ and a catastrophic tragedy.”    

When asked what the most important aspects of a successful security plan are, Sgt. Maj. Ben-Caro stated: “Deterrence, access control, and an armed response team.”

“First the potential attackers should be deterred.  They should see that your synagogue or house of worship is a ‘hard target’.  It has protection; it has staff or clergy that are vigilant and take their security seriously.  Investigations have shown that assailants usually look for a soft target.  Terrorists are predators looking for vulnerabilities.  Don’t allow yourself to look like ‘easy prey’.”

“Second, control who has access to your building or facility.  This aspect includes fences, doors and windows of adequate strength, intercoms with magnetic lock systems, etc.  If the attacker can’t get into the building, then it is not physically possible for them to carry out their attack.”

“Third, and I know this is a politically charged subject, but Jewish communities and other at-risk houses of worship have no choice but to acknowledge that they are vulnerable to attacks by armed assailants.  Even vehicles and kitchen knives – items that cannot be realistically restricted – become highly deadly weapons.  It is important for mature, responsible, and trained individuals to have the ability to respond to any lethal threat.  And, if the community has the budget for it, trained and licensed armed security officers, including veterans of the IDF or American military or police forces, are the best possible option.”

While we are still waiting for more details to come out about the attack on the Michigan synagogue, it is clear that the attackers had one clear motive: to kill Jews.

“The enemies of Israel make no distinction between soldiers of the IDF or Jews praying in a synagogue on the other side of the planet,” Sgt. Maj. Ben-Caro noted.  “And we must accept this grim reality and take the appropriate and necessary measures to protect ourselves, our families, and our community.”