Synagogues face a security reckoning in the wake of the deadly Texas standoff

And at synagogues across the country, rabbis and other leaders told NBC News they have been wrestling with that ethical dilemma.

“Inevitably, when a guest comes today, we’re asking them a lot more questions than we were yesterday, trying to ascertain what is their connection,” Rogosnitzky said. “Is this the first time they’ve been to the synagogue? Do they know about Jewish traditions? While that keeps us safe practically, it’s a sign of the times.”

“None of us got into being rabbis or cantors of Jewish professionals so that we could stand behind double-locked doors with layers of security,” he said. “I became a clergyperson so that I could open the door to someone who was cold and let them in and make them a cup of tea.” That said, Berg added, “We are always looking at the fine balance between welcoming the stranger and security. We don’t believe those values are mutually exclusive.”

In a webinar hosted by the Anti-Defamation League, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday what happened in Texas"was terrifying for the entire Jewish community."Malik Faisal Akram, the 44-year-old British citizen who conned his way inside Congregation Beth Israel and took Cytron-Walker and three members of his congregation hostage, targeted the house of worship precisely because it is a synagogue, Wray said.

Funding for the grants, which synagogues, other houses of worship and nonprofit groups can tap to pay for security needs including guards, cameras and fences, has climbed from $20 million in 2016 to $180 million last year,The Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, received a $100,000 grant, which is the maximum allowed, in 2020 to pay for, among other things, security guards, new lighting and cameras, as well as fencing and a new entry gate, a FEMA spokesman said.

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