Local Jewish leaders reviewing synagogue security in wake of Hamas attack on Israel

Local Jewish leaders are taking steps to ensure the security of worshippers at Pittsburgh-area synagogues in the wake of Saturday’s surprise attack on Israel by Hamas militants.

The director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh said Sunday that, while there have been no threats made against local synagogues, organization officials have been communicating with law enforcement agencies as a precaution.

“We’ve spoken to local police as well as the FBI, and we are very closely monitoring what’s happening locally as well as around the country out of an abundance of caution,” Shawn Brokos said. “This is such an unprecedented situation in Israel with the violence of the attack and all the loss of life, so we are just trying to be cautious.”

At least 600 people were killed in Israel when thousands of rockets were launched from Gaza and militants broke through security barriers and rampaged through nearby communities, according to the Associated Press.

More than 300 people were killed in Gaza by counterattacks and about 2,000 people have been wounded on each side, the news agency reported.

Brokos said members of the organization are “bracing” for the possibility that “some extremist will be set off by this, so we want to be prepared as much as possible.”

“We’ve seen some anti-Israeli sentiment in the past, but this is really new territory,” she said. “It’s a very polarizing issue, and people feel very strongly about their position. So we are expecting to see even more polarization over the next several days. We hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst.”

A spokeswoman for the FBI’s office in Pittsburgh said the agency urges the public to help thwart possible threats.

“FBI Pittsburgh is always working closely and sharing information with our state and local law enforcement partners, as well as our private-sector partners,” Catherine Coennen wrote in an email to the Trib.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any and all suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately,” she said.

Brokos said the organization’s officials began regularly communicating with law enforcement agencies in the region after the mass shooting at a Squirrel Hill synagogue in 2018 and continued working with them throughout the trial for the convicted gunman. Eleven people who were members of the Tree of Life-Or L’Simcha, Dor Hadash and New Light congregations died that day.

“During the trial, we came across some threats, so it would not be unusual for us to ask for additional patrols or to share the information we get by going directly to the (Pittsburgh Police) Zone 4 station” in Squirrel Hill, she said.

A spokeswoman for Pittsburgh Public Safety said Monday in an email to the Trib that additional patrols have been added around synagogues.

“They are also working with our Intel Unit to monitor any possible threats related to the recent events in the Middle East,” spokeswoman Cara Cruz said.

All the synagogues in the Pittsburgh region underwent security assessments after the 2018 massacre, Brokos said.

“While it’s up to each synagogue to determine the level of security they put in place, they have all taken steps to improve the security of their buildings and undergone active threat training,” she said.

A number of synagogues have private security officers — often off-duty police — who are stationed at the entrance when services are being conducted or during special events, Brokos said.

An off-duty Pittsburgh police officer was stationed outside the Shaare Torah Congregation on Murray Avenue on Sunday morning while worshipers were attending services for the Simchat Torah holiday, which marks the completion of the reading of the Torah in its entirety during the year.

The officer said security personnel from the Jewish Federation also were scheduled to be patrolling the area during Sunday night’s Simchat Torah service.

The police chief for the Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh was stationed at the Congregation Poale Zedeck on Phillips Avenue during Sunday’s service. Brokos said a police officer provides security whenever the congregation’s members gather for services or events.

A Carnegie Mellon University police cruiser with an officer inside was stationed in the parking lot at the Rodef Shalom Congregation on Fifth Avenue in Oakland.