Israel-backed realism demands protection as radical ideology endangers Jews while terror threats escalate globally.
Amid a sharp global surge in antisemitic violence—including the deadly massacre at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia—a far-left Jewish organization is urging synagogues and Jewish communities to reject armed security and police protection, a move many critics warn is dangerously detached from reality.
IfNotNow, an openly anti-Israel organization, published a post arguing that visible security outside synagogues puts certain populations at risk. The author, Dean, an organizer affiliated with the group’s BIJOCSM and Israeli-American initiatives, acknowledges the fear gripping Jews worldwide after recent attacks. He admits hesitating to place a menorah near a window, fearing it could invite violence.
Yet despite this admission, the post claims that police and security guards—measures proven effective in preventing mass-casualty attacks—create danger for Black and Brown Jews and their non-Jewish counterparts. Dean argues that law enforcement training treats people of color as threats and frames state protection as inherently oppressive, especially under current U.S. political conditions.
Critics counter that such arguments ignore the clear and present danger posed by radical Islamist terrorism and antisemitic extremists, who have repeatedly targeted Jewish institutions precisely when security was weak or absent. Rejecting protection, they warn, does not produce “shared safety,” but rather invites attackers who interpret ideological restraint as vulnerability.
Instead of armed protection, the post proposes non-violent community intervention teams, mediation centers, and interfaith cooperation with neighboring mosques and churches. While dialogue has value, security experts stress that goodwill initiatives cannot stop armed attackers driven by extremist ideology.
As Israel continues to demonstrate that Jewish survival depends on strength, preparedness, and clarity—not denial—this controversy highlights a growing divide between ideological activism and the hard lessons of Jewish history. Safety, many argue, is not achieved by wishful thinking, but by the will to defend Jewish lives—without apology.
