How 9/11 transformed synagogue security into a new reality for the Jewish community

Twenty-five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the American Jewish community faces a new reality as they prepare for Rosh Hashanah, where armed guards, security cameras, and bag checks have become permanent fixtures of communal life. Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America, identified 9/11 as a major turning point that signaled a need for physical protection. According to a national study by the organization, Jewish institutions spend an estimated $1 billion annually on security, amounting to $2.8 million daily. In 2025, the FBI reported that Jews were the target of 63% of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S. Concurrently, organizations like the Secure Community Network (SCN) recorded 4,400 incident reports and trained 40,000 people in 2025. Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan described these costs as a vicious tax levied by antisemites. Despite the heavy burden, officials emphasize that the goal of these measures is not to turn synagogues into fortresses, but to ensure that fear does not prevent Jewish families from participating in communal life.