Watch: North Texas synagogues continue to fortify after Colleyville hostage incident in January

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Jeff Cohen was in a position to maintain a “full sense of composure” through the 11-hour standoff he discovered himself in whereas attending providers at his North Texas synagogue on Jan. 15. Taken hostage with three others, together with a rabbi, Cohen knew he needed to strategy the scenario like a chess sport in the event that they had been all going to flee safely.

Pulling from the active-threat coaching he obtained at his synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, solely half a 12 months earlier than, Cohen received the opposite hostages to slowly transfer towards the exit, setting them up for his or her eventual escape to security.

This incident got here after a record-breaking 12 months of recorded antisemitic acts nationwide in 2021. And whereas Jewish folks make up simply 2% of the U.S. inhabitants, they’re the goal for greater than 60% of religious-based hate crimes.

For North Texas synagogues, the Colleyville hostage scenario was a harsh reminder of this state of affairs. Along with reevaluating their present safety infrastructures, congregations are collaborating in safety trainings protecting every part from active-threat coaching and situational consciousness to emergency first help. But this can be a recurring difficulty, and a few surprise: Will it ever be sufficient?

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