Today’s Albany Times Union has an article on the security preparations taking place prior to the observance of the upcoming Jewish holy days.

In Faith, vigilance mark holy days: Seattle shooting incident makes security a concern for local Jewish congregations the writer notes the coincidental tie-in between Albany and the shootings that took place at a Jewish Center in Seattle. Based on that coincidence, and the propensity of attacks on Jews by hateful or deranged people, local Jewish leaders are stepping up precautions.

A few excerpts:

As in the past, that preparation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation inviting regional Jewish leaders to a security briefing. About 60 of them attended the 90-minute session last month. The FBI’s Albany field office chief, John Francis Pikus, participated.

…

Agudat Achim’s second vice president, Jeffrey Handelman, attended the FBI meeting in Albany. After officials assured the Jewish leaders they knew of no local threat, he said, someone followed up with another question: Did you know of a specific threat in Seattle?

“And they said ‘no,’ ” Handelman said. “So you know, it’s the kind of thing — it’s just a random crazy person. There’s no way to really secure yourself against all of that.”

Tight security for the High Holidays is nothing new. Armed police at the door, armies of trained ushers, entry by ticket only — all of these are familiar precautions that synagogues have used in the past and will use again this year.

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At Temple Israel, it was both the Seattle shooting and recent bloodshed in the Middle East that led the synagogue to plan on more police officers and ushers for the High Holidays this year. Roaming security volunteers will monitor the inside and outside of the building.

…

ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman said the shooting, “while the work of an individual who acted alone, was a reminder that the Jewish community must make security a priority each and every day, and especially during the High Holidays.”

In the Capital Region, plenty of temples are heeding that message.

“Many of them mentioned it at the security briefing,” said Shapiro, of the United Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York. “They’ll have more people outside. They’ll be more vigilant.”

All of this brings up some very interesting questions.

The FBI uses staff resources to hold a 90 minute meeting for Jewish groups to advise the attendees that nothing is going on? I think a simple letter would have handled that outlay of information. Here are a few lines they could have used: Regarding the upcoming holy days, the FBI is aware of no explicit threats to the local Jewish community. We advise you to keep vigilant and to take appropriate security precautions.

As a matter of fact, the FBI could send that letter to every religious group in the country. You know, Christians are targets for extremists too (ref. the latest calls to “break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose head tax, then the only thing acceptable is a conversion to Islam or [sic] killed by the sword.”).

It is all very well and good that the law enforcement community is reminding faith communities to be careful. However, shouldn’t we be asking a question closer to the core, what is the appropriate faith response?

Deacon Dan Wright has an excellent analysis of the issues surrounding the Pope’s speech and the backlash from both Muslim and Christian extremists. He writes on what the Christian response should be. In My Very First (Official) Rant he says in part:

Christian people, what is going on? Are you so easily manipulated by the real evil at work? Can you not see the spirit of divisiveness?

Exactly! We’ve bought into divisiveness, building barricades, manning our doors with police officers, and holding FBI meetings out of fear. We are buying into, or creating a spirit of fear. That fear is inconsistent with St. Paul’s challenge to us. It is inconsistent with the voice of the martyrs who stood on very firm ground in the face of fear. It is inconsistant with a life lived in Christ.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.

Hardships take many forms: outright persecution, subtle persecution, bigotry, and forgiveness. The onus is on us – how do we respond? St. Paul’s words are as good today as they were during the persecutions of Nero. Stand on the strength of your faith, live the gospel.