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NDTV
24-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
After Shootings, Washington's Shaken Jewish Community Looks To Bolster Security
When Adam Zimmerman chaperoned his son's fourth-grade class field trip to the natural history museum in Washington on Wednesday, he didn't give a second thought to security. Hours later, outside a different museum a few miles (km) away, two Israeli embassy employees were gunned down in what was widely viewed as an act of antisemitism. "It was a horrific reminder for me - as a Jewish parent in this city - that we all have to be looking over our shoulders all the time," said Zimmerman, 43, a media consultant from Rockville, Maryland. The fatal shooting of the young couple after an event at a Jewish museum has deeply shaken the U.S. capital's Jews, and has led to a review of security protocols at synagogues and other institutions. "The same seeds of antisemitism that led to Europe in the 1930s and 1940s are still killing people on the streets of Washington, D.C. in 2025," said Zimmerman, whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors. It was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza, a response to the October 2023 attacks by Hamas militants that killed 1,200 in southern Israel. The Washington shooting took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum, where the American Jewish Committee was sponsoring an annual young diplomats reception. The lone suspect, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Thursday, told police on the scene, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza," according to court records. Alan Ronkin, regional director of AJC's Washington office, said security was tight at the event, even though the suspect, Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, managed to enter the museum in the chaos that ensued in the aftermath of the shooting outside. He was apprehended inside. "We are going to revisit our security protocols, and make sure we follow the recommendations of the experts," said Ronkin, who added the community is "shaken but resilient." Ron Halber, chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said that local law enforcement has increased patrols around Jewish institutions in Washington since the killings. "A lot of us are looking over our shoulder today," said Halber. "But we have to keep leading proud open Jewish lives. I'm certainly not going to let it deter me from any public or private event." Most Jewish institutions in the city already have robust security, including armed guards at most synagogues, according to Halber. "The big discussion that's going to happen is how long does the perimeter extend - one block, two blocks," he said. "Every Jewish organization is increasing their security, whether it's having more guards standing outside during more hours of the day, or if they didn't have any, adding them," said Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. "Right now it's short term, and we'll see whether there's a permanent change in the level of security. My guess is yes." The federation is one of several Jewish institutions that said on Friday they were fundraising to bolster security. Local and federal grants, especially a nonprofit security grant program administered through the Federal Emergency Management Administration, are a "tremendous" help to offset the costs of security improvements, according to Preuss. After some delays and confusion due to the Trump administration's federal funding freezes in recent months, the program's grant funding has started flowing again, he said. About 50 Jewish organizations issued a statement on Thursday calling on the U.S. Congress to increase funding under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $1 billion, more than double the current figure. 'Desire To Be Together' Sarah Krinsky, a rabbi at Adas Israel in Washington, said on Friday there were D.C. Metropolitan Police Department cars outside her synagogue, at the end of the block and at the base of the parking lot. Krinsky said the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting that killed 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh first prompted Adas Israel to boost security significantly. Since Wednesday's attack, the Washington mayor's office, police department, FBI and private firms have all recommended even higher levels of security. She said the conservative congregation's more than 3,500 members would welcome the "slight enhancements," details of which she could not discuss. With the shock of the shooting still raw, Krinsky said she expected a big crowd for Shabbat services this weekend. "There's a real desire to be together, and to be in a place where people can mourn and grieve and express everything they're feeling and feel safe and held," she said.
AsiaOne
24-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
After shootings, Washington's shaken Jewish community looks to bolster security, World News
When Adam Zimmerman chaperoned his son's fourth-grade class field trip to the natural history museum in Washington on Wednesday (May 21), he didn't give a second thought to security. Hours later, outside a different museum a few miles away, two Israeli embassy employees were gunned down in what was widely viewed as an act of antisemitism. "It was a horrific reminder for me — as a Jewish parent in this city — that we all have to be looking over our shoulders all the time," said Zimmerman, 43, a media consultant from Rockville, Maryland. The fatal shooting of the young couple after an event at a Jewish museum has deeply shaken the US capital's Jews, and has led to a review of security protocols at synagogues and other institutions. "The same seeds of antisemitism that led to Europe in the 1930s and 1940s are still killing people on the streets of Washington, DC in 2025," said Zimmerman, whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors. It was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza, a response to the October 2023 attacks by Hamas militants that killed 1,200 in southern Israel. The Washington shooting took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum, where the American Jewish Committee was sponsoring an annual young diplomats reception. The lone suspect, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Thursday, told police on the scene, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza," according to court records. Alan Ronkin, regional director of AJC's Washington office, said security was tight at the event, even though the suspect, Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, managed to enter the museum in the chaos that ensued in the aftermath of the shooting outside. He was apprehended inside. "We are going to revisit our security protocols, and make sure we follow the recommendations of the experts," said Ronkin, who added the community is "shaken but resilient." Ron Halber, chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said that local law enforcement has increased patrols around Jewish institutions in Washington since the killings. "A lot of us are looking over our shoulder today," said Halber. "But we have to keep leading proud open Jewish lives. I'm certainly not going to let it deter me from any public or private event." Most Jewish institutions in the city already have robust security, including armed guards at most synagogues, according to Halber. "The big discussion that's going to happen is how long does the perimeter extend — one block, two blocks," he said. "Every Jewish organisation is increasing their security, whether it's having more guards standing outside during more hours of the day, or if they didn't have any, adding them," said Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. "Right now it's short term, and we'll see whether there's a permanent change in the level of security. My guess is yes." The federation is one of several Jewish institutions that said on Friday they were fundraising to bolster security. Local and federal grants, especially a nonprofit security grant programme administered through the Federal Emergency Management Administration, are a "tremendous" help to offset the costs of security improvements, according to Preuss. After some delays and confusion due to the Trump administration's federal funding freezes in recent months, the programme's grant funding has started flowing again, he said. About 50 Jewish organisations issued a statement on Thursday calling on the US Congress to increase funding under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion), more than double the current figure. 'Desire to be together' Sarah Krinsky, a rabbi at Adas Israel in Washington, said on Friday there were DC Metropolitan Police Department cars outside her synagogue, at the end of the block and at the base of the parking lot. Krinsky said the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting that killed 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh first prompted Adas Israel to boost security significantly. Since Wednesday's attack, the Washington mayor's office, police department, FBI and private firms have all recommended even higher levels of security. She said the conservative congregation's more than 3,500 members would welcome the "slight enhancements," details of which she could not discuss. With the shock of the shooting still raw, Krinsky said she expected a big crowd for Shabbat services this weekend. "There's a real desire to be together, and to be in a place where people can mourn and grieve and express everything they're feeling and feel safe and held," she said. ALSO READ: 2 Israeli embassy staffers killed in Washington shooting, suspect held
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After shootings, Washington's shaken Jewish community looks to bolster security
By Karen Freifeld and Julia Harte (Reuters) -When Adam Zimmerman chaperoned his son's fourth-grade class field trip to the natural history museum in Washington on Wednesday, he didn't give a second thought to security. Hours later, outside a different museum a few miles (km) away, two Israeli embassy employees were gunned down in what was widely viewed as an act of antisemitism. "It was a horrific reminder for me - as a Jewish parent in this city - that we all have to be looking over our shoulders all the time," said Zimmerman, 43, a media consultant from Rockville, Maryland. The fatal shooting of the young couple after an event at a Jewish museum has deeply shaken the U.S. capital's Jews, and has led to a review of security protocols at synagogues and other institutions. "The same seeds of antisemitism that led to Europe in the 1930s and 1940s are still killing people on the streets of Washington, D.C. in 2025," said Zimmerman, whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors. It was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza, a response to the October 2023 attacks by Hamas militants that killed 1,200 in southern Israel. The Washington shooting took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum, where the American Jewish Committee was sponsoring an annual young diplomats reception. The lone suspect, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Thursday, told police on the scene, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza," according to court records. Alan Ronkin, regional director of AJC's Washington office, said security was tight at the event, even though the suspect, Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, managed to enter the museum in the chaos that ensued in the aftermath of the shooting outside. He was apprehended inside. "We are going to revisit our security protocols, and make sure we follow the recommendations of the experts," said Ronkin, who added the community is "shaken but resilient." Ron Halber, chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said that local law enforcement has increased patrols around Jewish institutions in Washington since the killings. "A lot of us are looking over our shoulder today," said Halber. "But we have to keep leading proud open Jewish lives. I'm certainly not going to let it deter me from any public or private event." Most Jewish institutions in the city already have robust security, including armed guards at most synagogues, according to Halber. "The big discussion that's going to happen is how long does the perimeter extend – one block, two blocks," he said. "Every Jewish organization is increasing their security, whether it's having more guards standing outside during more hours of the day, or if they didn't have any, adding them," said Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. "Right now it's short term, and we'll see whether there's a permanent change in the level of security. My guess is yes." The federation is one of several Jewish institutions that said on Friday they were fundraising to bolster security. Local and federal grants, especially a nonprofit security grant program administered through the Federal Emergency Management Administration, are a "tremendous" help to offset the costs of security improvements, according to Preuss. After some delays and confusion due to the Trump administration's federal funding freezes in recent months, the program's grant funding has started flowing again, he said. About 50 Jewish organizations issued a statement on Thursday calling on the U.S. Congress to increase funding under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $1 billion, more than double the current figure. 'DESIRE TO BE TOGETHER' Sarah Krinsky, a rabbi at Adas Israel in Washington, said on Friday there were D.C. Metropolitan Police Department cars outside her synagogue, at the end of the block and at the base of the parking lot. Krinsky said the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting that killed 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh first prompted Adas Israel to boost security significantly. Since Wednesday's attack, the Washington mayor's office, police department, FBI and private firms have all recommended even higher levels of security. She said the conservative congregation's more than 3,500 members would welcome the "slight enhancements," details of which she could not discuss. With the shock of the shooting still raw, Krinsky said she expected a big crowd for Shabbat services this weekend. "There's a real desire to be together, and to be in a place where people can mourn and grieve and express everything they're feeling and feel safe and held," she said.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Just stunned': Montgomery County leaders react to deadly shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers in DC
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () – Leaders in the Montgomery County Jewish community are devastated after a outside of the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C. on Wednesday night. 'I think everybody who I've spoken to and myself, is just stunned,' Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said. 'The lives of a beautiful couple that was getting ready to get engaged was cut down short simply because they were Jewish and they decided that was a good enough reason to kill them.' 'Death penalty eligible case': Suspect charged in shooting that killed two Israeli Embassy staff members, officials say Halber said he didn't know the couple, but he knows their supervisor. 'They were both interested in peace work and making the world a better place and had such a wonderful, promising future,' he said. Halber said there has been a significant rise in acts of hate and antisemitism across the country for several years. 'I think people are more concerned than they were yesterday, and how can you blame them?' he said. The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) hopes to alleviate some fears by increasing patrols around Jewish institutions. 'We will continue our operations in that until such time that we can feel confident that our community feels a little bit better,' MCPD Assistant Chief Darren Francke said. 'Act of terrorism': DMV, world leaders react to fatal shooting of couple working at Israeli embassy in DC Halber said he's thankful for MCPD's support but knows a more concrete security plan will be needed. 'One of the things that we're doing is trying to hire private armed security and that requires spending millions of dollars a year collectively,' he said. MCPD's increased patrols are expected to last at least through the end of the week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
