Police increase patrols around synagogues ahead of Jewish holidays

(NewsNation) — Police agencies across America are increasing patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship ahead of the Jewish High Holidays and in the wake of Iran’s attack on Israel this week, according to authorities.

While police officials did not detail any specific threats, the stepped-up enforcement comes as Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset Wednesday and ahead of Yom Kippur next week.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced increased security measures at a press conference on Wednesday.

“As families come together and neighbors prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our city is going to make sure they can do so safely,” Adams said.

Adams said New Yorkers can expect more police at key locations and houses of worship, vowing to have an “omnipresence” of uniformed officers. He said the NYPD will also deploy additional cameras to “sensitive locations,” among other security measures.

In Chicago, police will also have “special attention on places of worship,” a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department said in an email to NewsNation on Wednesday. “While there is no actionable intelligence at this time, we will have an increased police presence to ensure the city’s faith communities are not only safe, but feel safe.”

In light of recent events, Philadelphia police are taking “proactive measures” that include increased patrols around Jewish and Islamic places of worship and community centers, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department said.

Across the state, in Pittsburgh, police will also have an increased presence with directed patrols around synagogues. The Jewish community there is particularly alert to antisemitic violence after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in a 2018 attack.

In Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department said it hadn’t received any specific threats but urged residents to report anything suspicious.

“While there are no known threats to the District of Columbia, we urge our community to remain vigilant and help keep our community safe,” a spokesperson said.

As American Jews prepare to observe the High Holy Days, they’re also set to recognize a somber anniversary, marking one year since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.

Oren Segal, VP of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, told NewsNation there are no known credible threats to the Jewish Community in the U.S. at this time but urged vigilance.

“Given the heightened tensions and increased risk to the community at this time, we recommend institutions review and implement a series of security precautions and procedures,” he said.

The United States is home to the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel and has approximately 3,700 synagogues.

Janice Neiman and Steve Patterson contributed to this report.