To the Jewish community, though, most of whom did not find out about it until it was nearly over, the attack was yet another in a string of deadly incidents that introduced us to places we might not have known about — places such as Poway, Squirrel Hill, and Greenville. Now we’ve learned about the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Colleyville. While no innocent people died in the weekend incident, it brought home yet again the fragility shuls face in balancing the desire to convey an open door for davening, learning, or just a cup of coffee, with the sudden demand for security and vigilance.
The Reform Congregation Beth Israel had already realized the need to take security more seriously, and this past summer even underwent a training exercise offered by the Secure Community Network (also called SCN and pronounced “Scan”). The Network, established about 25 years ago by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Federations of North America, works with any community requesting security advice and assistance.
“That congregation,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, a Conference vice chairman and founder of the network, “was part of a training this past summer. People were saying how prepared and professional they seemed.”
One security expert, though, told Mishpacha that while he is grateful no one was hurt, the fact that the terrorist had been able to gain access, and that he was later shot dead, meant that protocols were not followed.
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