LAPD will increase patrols around Jewish synagogues during High Holy Days

The city of Los Angeles will increase police patrols around Jewish places of worship this week as the High Holy Days begin Monday evening with Rosh Hashana.

“Our officers will be visible in neighborhoods, synagogues, schools, and community centers — not only to deter crime, but also to provide reassurance and partnership,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement.

This summer, the LAPD increased its presence around synagogues and Jewish community centers in response to a rise in antisemitic attacks across the country.

The High Holy Days begin with Rosh Hashana — the Jewish New Year — and continue through Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which ends at nightfall Oct. 2.

“Any and all forms of antisemitism are unacceptable in Los Angeles and we are taking action to protect Jewish Angelenos especially as we head into the High Holy Days,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a prepared statement. “The LAPD is taking proactive, preventative measures. I want to thank the LAPD for their continued efforts and collaboration in protecting our communities.”

Wilshire Boulevard Temple said its congregation was looking “forward to welcoming the New Year together, praying safely and peacefully in our sanctuaries.”

“Wilshire Boulevard Temple maintains a robust safety and security program with extensive plans and procedures in place,” a temple spokesperson said. “Our staff is well-educated and trained in the appropriate and effective response to threats. We maintain strong working relationships with law enforcement authorities. We are confident that our campuses, schools, and camps are among the best prepared in the country, and we can assure you that the safety of all students, families, faculty, clergy, and staff at Wilshire Boulevard Temple is our highest priority.”

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In June, Los Angeles city officials met with Jewish leaders to address their concerns in response to a nationwide surge in antisemitic attacks following the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, 2023.

Attacks this year have included the April firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home just hours after Shapiro and his family held a Passover seder.

In May, a man shot and killed two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum. The suspect in that incident shouted “Free Palestine” as he was arrested, according to charging documents in the case.

The following month, a man threw Molotov cocktails at a group of people in Boulder, Colo., while they demonstrated for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The Egyptian national injured 12 people and was charged with a hate crime.

On Sunday, Rabbis Nicole Guzik and Erez Sherman at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles said they appreciated the security precautions taken by the city.

“Even as antisemitism is on the rise and visible even in our own city, we are walking into the New Year with deep pride of who we are,” Guzik said. “We don’t want fear to replace the blessings of the New Year.”