03-06-2025
Massachusetts Jewish community concerned after recent attacks
They are headlines that send chills through a community. An attack on a peace march in Boulder, Colorado with a flamethrower, and two people shot outside of a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. Recent violent incidents on the Jewish community now have people locally concerned for their safety.
"For us the Jewish community right now, we see ourselves as every one of those people," said Miri Bar-Hapern, a psychologist and trauma director at Parents for Peace.
Bar-Halpern grew up during the Second Intifada in the early 2000s. She read newspapers to see if she knew any victims. Her grandparents told stories of surviving the Holocaust.
"My father-in-law died in 9/11. I live and breathe terrorism. My whole dissertation, my doctorate is about that, so seeing it come to your front door is scary," said Bar-Halpern.
Parents for Peace has been fielding calls from concerned members of the Jewish community who see what is happening around them.
"What we are seeing started in K-12. We are seeing the result on college campuses and now you see what globalized Intifada means. D.C. London. The recent event in Colorado. We were waiting for it to happen because we knew it was going to happen," said Bar-Halpern.
"This is not a competition"
She says her community now hides their Jewish identity, even taking off the Star of David.
"Part of what I am doing is helping people find a language and say, 'what happened to me right now, what I'm feeling right now is valid,' because the rest of the world is telling us your feeling doesn't matter right now," said Bar-Halpern.
She says supporters of Israel and Palestine have turned both sides into what she calls a competition of pain.
"This is not a competition. As a Jewish person, I can absolutely acknowledge that what's happening in Gaza is awful. Not only as a human being, but as a trauma expert," Bar-Halpern said. "Right now, in we are talking about Jewish lives matter. This isn't instead or a competition."
Police work with places of worship
The battle has sparked attacks globally and at home leaving some people nervous as they head to places of worship.
"What we were mostly in fear of here is the lone extremist acting out, and that's what we have been seeing," said John Carmichael, the former Newton chief of police.
He says the department has long gone to Jewish centers of worship to aid in prevention.
"On many occasions we would go into different organizations and help them train or come up with security protocol," said Carmichael.
The training may include levels of security protocols from exterior to interior, and the creation of limited access areas.
"Here, any time there was an event we made sure that we had a very significant operations plan," explains Carmichael. "These situations we deal with now have to start globally and end locally, so we know what is going on in the Middle East, but those extend to our country."
If you or a loved one needs support visit or call their helpline 1-844-49-PEACE (1-844-497-3223).
