NJ synagogues add security as war in Israel expands. How real is the threat?

After a week of unprecedented violence in Israel, Jews in North Jersey face an unprecedented sense of fear.

Rabbis and law enforcement across the state said they were tightening security around synagogues this week, in the wake of last weekend's terror attacks. And what Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday called a state of "heightened caution" may not be short-lived: Jewish leaders warned of an extended period of risk from what's expected to be a long and bloody conflict between Hamas and Israel.

"Things get heated against Jews whenever there's conflict in the Middle East," said Evan Bernstein, CEO of the Community Security Service, a Connecticut-based group that provides security training for synagogues and Jewish community centers. "We expect it could be worse this time. "

His organization, with over 3,000 volunteers, is working overtime to protect such institutions, he said. "We are telling our teams to be on high alert. Our volunteers are helping to protect participants at rallies and at synagogues."

Tensions ran even higher after Reuters reported that a former Hamas leader had called for protestors around the Muslim world to come out on Friday in support of the Palestinian people, and for Arab countries to join the fight against Israel.

That sparked fears and warnings of potential antisemitic attacks, although Murphy and other officials said they knew of no specific threats in New Jersey.

Nonetheless, police departments locally and around the country said they were mobilizing additional patrols. In New Jersey, home to one of the world's largest Jewish populations, rabbis David Seth Kirshner of Temple Emanu-El in Closter, Jordan Millstein of Temple Sinai of Bergen County in Tenafly and Michael Perice of Temple Sinai of Cinnaminson confirmed they were ramping up security after the weekend attacks, though they declined to give specifics.

In a memo to residents Thursday, Fair Lawn police said that, "In response to world events, we have instituted an increased patrol presence. Some of this increase you will see, and some you will not." The department pledged to be "in constant contact with representatives from our schools, religious and business communities."

Precautionary measures

It also recommended worshippers walk to services in groups as a precautionary measure and to post greeters outside synagogues who are able to "limit access and call for assistance if needed." Although cellphone use is generally prohibited on the Jewish Sabbath, police suggested someone in a group of congregants should carry a phone, just in case.

Teaneck Deputy Mayor Elie Katz said police in his town, too, would step up patrols. In Morris County, the prosecutor's office said authorities had conducted over 75 property checks for the religious community and held meetings at Jewish and Muslim facilities worried about threats.

Montclair police will "maintain a heightened presence at all houses of worship, schools, and locations with the potential for large gatherings throughout the township," Chief Todd Conforti said in a statement, though he added "there is no known direct threat" to the township.

The Oct. 7 Hamas assault and Israeli bombardments since then have left at least 2,800 dead.

War in Israel: Airstrike in Gaza refugee camp kills 45, may stoke violence, protests: Live updates

The horror has been compounded by a rise in bias attacks and online hate speech aimed at both communities.

At Indiana University, Prof. Gunther Jikeli, a scholar of antisemitism, tracked an increase in anti-Jewish posts over the weekend. "Some went as far as fully endorsing the killing of Jews by Hamas terrorists," he said. He noted that a surge of online hate frequently accompanies conflict in the Middle East. "It emboldens antisemites from the right and from the left."

Within the first 18 hours after the Hamas incursion, antisemitic rhetoric spiked dramatically, according to the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism. "This includes a rise in phrases calling for violence against Jews, Israelis and Zionists," the group said in a report.

Jewish Americans were already on high alert even before Hamas' attack. The ADL reported earlier this year that reports of antisemitic incidents − fueled by social media and a rise in political polarization −were at the highest levels the group had seen since it began tracking the data in 1979.

More: Two from Bergen, including Tenafly grad, missing in Israel violence, NJ officials say

More incidents have been reported since last week's bloodshed:

• Multiple synagogues in Utah received bomb threats and had to evacuate. No explosives were found.

• A restaurant and synagogue in Fresno, California, were vandalized Tuesday. Rocks were thrown through the windows of both buildings and a note left behind at the restaurant saying, "All Jewish businesses will be targeted," according to local news reports.

• In St. Louis, a swastika was painted on the side of a truck in what police called an act of antisemitic vandalism.

• And in Australia, a pro-Palestinian rally drew criticism after some protesters outside the Sydney Opera House were heard chanting antisemitic slogans.

"Unfortunately, the people who hate Israel have a lot of followers and social media allows those voices to be amplified," said Bernstein. "People who hate us want us to be fearful. We need to show unity and be proud Jews and participate in Jewish life."

Staff writer Katie Sobko contributed to this article, which also includes reporting from USA Today.

Deena Yellin covers religion for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering how the spiritual intersects with our daily lives, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: yellin@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ synagogues add security as Hamas attacks raise fears