Jewish security org Magen Am keeping community safe amid elevated threat
Jewish security organization keeps community safe
In the context of conflict in the Middle East, synagogues and Jewish spaces are on alert for any potential threat. Magen Am is a Jewish nonprofit organization focused on community safety.
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Law enforcement agencies across the United States are on alert amid an elevated terrorist threat, prompting Jewish communities in particular to step up their security after a series of recent attacks, including an incident at the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan.
Experts warn that the most pressing danger comes from so-called lone wolf attackers, that is, individuals who act independently and are often difficult to detect before they strike.
Concern grew after two separate attacks occurred on the same day nearly two weeks ago: one targeting an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Virginia and another at Temple Israel in Michigan.
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Magen Am, a Jewish security organization, has a smaller presence in Phoenix, where the Jewish community is smaller than in Los Angeles and Orange County. (Amalia Roy)
In synagogues across the country, security has become a constant presence. In Phoenix and other cities, Jewish organizations are taking proactive steps to prepare for potential threats. One such group, Magen Am, a nonprofit focused on community safety, trains volunteers to respond in the event of an attack.
During a recent training session, volunteers practiced defensive tactics, preparing for a scenario they hope never comes true: placing themselves between an attacker and their community.
“Magen Am, the shield of the nation, is about standing up and saying, ‘You’re not going to make it,'” volunteer Valerie Smilovic said.
The organization, which operates in Los Angeles, Orange County and Phoenix, was founded in the wake of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018. Ian Turner, who leads the Phoenix chapter of Magen Am, said the tragedy served as a wake-up call for many in the Jewish community.
“The American Jewish community was given a memo that they needed to have some form of proactive security in place,” Turner said.
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Ian Turner is manager of the Phoenix chapter of Magen Am, an organization focused on the safety of the Jewish community. (Amalia Roy)
Jewish organizations have reported a recent increase in online threats, particularly in the wake of U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran. Experts say monitoring these threats is essential, although difficult.
“The only way to stop attacks is to identify individuals before they act,” said counterterrorism analyst Aaron Cohen. “Right now, law enforcement is very limited in that capacity.”
The urgency to prepare was underscored March 12 when a man armed with a rifle and fireworks crashed into a truck in Temple Israel, Michigan. Authorities credited the synagogue’s security team with responding quickly and preventing further damage.
Shooting classes are one of the ways Magen Am aims to equip the Jewish community with the means to protect themselves. Volunteers serve as security guards at synagogues. (Amalia Roy)
Despite heightened concerns, community leaders recognize there are limits to what can be done.
“Beyond increasing security and remaining alert, we have done everything we can,” Turner said. “It’s something we prepare for every day.”
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The FBI has not yet determined a motive for the Michigan attack. However, Israeli officials say the suspect, identified as Ayman Muhammed Ghazali, is the brother of a Hezbollah commander killed earlier this month in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon.
