Increased security at Jewish temples for the start of Rosh Hashanah

BOSTON — As the Jewish community gathers Wednesday night for the start of their high holidays, many can’t stop thinking about the latest attacks on Israelis in the Middle East.

“I think many of us this year we sit around our holiday tables gathering in synagogue, balancing both celebration and joy and community while keeping Israelis and what’s going on in Israel top of mind,” said Rabbi Marc Baker, president and CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies.

Rabbi Baker says his son, who’s studying in Israel, hid in a bomb shelter Tuesday like millions of others as hundreds of Iranian missiles came raining down on them.

“It’s pretty unimaginable that we’re coming up on one year since the horrific massacres of October 7, Israel is still in a multi-front war to protect itself and its citizens, and you can see especially from these last few days just how intense that region is,” said Rabbi Baker.

That intensity overseas, along with an increase in antisemitism in the U.S. lately, has many Jews on edge, as they try to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

That’s why many synagogues have increased security Wednesday, like Temple Israel in Boston.

“We treat community safety with the utmost importance here, we want to make sure everyone who steps through our doors feels both safe and welcome,” said Rabbi Dan Slipakoff of Temple Israel.

While Rosh Hashanah is the start of a new year for the Jewish people, it’s also a day of judgement to reflect on the past year and how to move forward.

“I think one of the most important things we’ve done over the year is create a space for people to come together to talk, to process,” said Rabbi Slipakoff.

“It has been a brutal year for the Jewish community and Jewish people around the world and a lot of us are asking ourselves, you know, what does it mean to begin again when in many ways we’re not getting a clean slate, we are still in the midst of trauma,” said Rabbi Baker.

Rabbi Baker says while they celebrate these holidays, they’ll continue to pray for their brothers and sisters in Israel and push for the remaining hostages to be released, now nearly one year since they were taken by Hamas.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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