LETTER: A SHUL SET ON FIRE. A CHILD STABBED. WE CANNOT IGNORE THE WARNING SIGNS.
We must publicize these people who have issues and should not be in shuls Both were done by Jews
HEADLINE: WHEN WARNING SIGNS EXIST, SHULS MUST BE WARNED
A Call for Better Communication and Security in Our Shuls
To the community,
The recent events at Mordy’s Shtiebel in Lakewood and a synagogue in Boro Park should cause all of us to stop and think about synagogue safety.
In Lakewood, a man was arrested and charged with aggravated arson after investigators said surveillance footage showed him intentionally setting fire to religious podiums inside Mordy’s Shtiebel. The building was left uninhabitable.
Then, on Monday night in Boro Park, police responded to a report of an emotionally disturbed person inside a synagogue. According to police, a 22-year-old congregant slashed a 14-year-old boy’s hand with a cutting instrument. The suspect was taken into custody.
These incidents raise an important question:
What happens when someone has already demonstrated dangerous or threatening behavior, but continues showing up at shuls and other communal institutions?
We cannot wait until someone gets hurt or a building is set on fire before taking warning signs seriously.
If a person has a documented history of violence, threats, attempted arson, bringing weapons, or other dangerous conduct, the appropriate people—shul leadership, security personnel, community safety organizations, and law enforcement when appropriate—should have a way to share verified information and take reasonable precautions.
At the same time, we must be responsible. Mental illness by itself does not make someone dangerous, and rumors or unverified accusations should never be circulated as fact. The focus must be on specific, documented behavior, not on stigmatizing people who need help.
Our shuls should be welcoming places. But protecting children, families, rabbanim and mispallelim has to be part of that responsibility.
If there are credible warning signs, don’t keep them to yourself. Report them through the proper channels. Better communication today can prevent a tragedy tomorrow.
