One week ahead of the observance of Rosh Hashanah, marking the Jewish New Year, North Texas houses of worship are taking a renewed emphasis on security.
On Sunday, outside the front door of Beth-El Congregation in Fort Worth, a group of about 30 congregants received guidance on what to do if someone shows up intent on causing harm.
It’s part of training from Secure Community Network, which serves as the safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America.
The 90-minute mix of threat assessment training and situational awareness is part of an ongoing process of preparedness, according to Barry Abels.
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“Everybody is going to be much more prepared should something happen,” Abels said.
Abels is the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.
He spent part of his Sunday taking part in a series of hands-on, practical exercises for any situation someone at a house of worship may encounter.
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“Right now we’re at the Jewish high holidays are approaching and so we’re trying to be extra vigilant in helping people understand about the personal security,” Abels said.
While the training deals with hypothetical scenarios, Abels said it is not difficult to pull from real-world events.
In January, a rabbi and 3 congregants in Colleyville were taken hostage during a prayer service.
Everyone at Congregation Beth Israel escaped after 11 hours of captivity before the gunman was killed.
The same training was scheduled for the Colleyville temple on Sunday afternoon.
“I think it does feel a little bit different because of everything that’s gone on,” Abels said.
In addition to training, a panel scheduled for Sunday evening plans to include representatives from police departments in Fort Worth, Arlington and Colleyville as well as the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office of the FBI.
Abels said while the training this weekend is happening in a religious setting, the skills are for everyday use.
“Any house of worship, any workplace needs to have similar training because you never know what’s going to come up,” Abels said. “If you’re an organization or a worship community that’s not doing something about safety and security, it’s time to think about it.”
