By Stephen D. Bryen
WASHINGTON, D.C. — I created a simple flip book to get folks started on shul (synagogue) security. The flip book will also help churches, mosques and temples to do the same.
A flip book is an animated short book. My flip book is based on my more extensive book Security for Holy Places: How to Build a Security Plan for your Church, Synagogue, Mosque or Temple (Morgan James Publishing). Obviously there is a lot more in the book.
I wrote the book before the pandemic started. Since then, things have gone from bad to worse when it comes to the security of religious places.
For Jews there is a lot of antisemitism and anti-Israel ideology that is being peddled in the United States, in Europe, Canada, Australia and other places too. With empty or nearly empty synagogues, they are easy targets. Some of them find Nazi and other hate symbols plastered over their buildings. Others are broken into. Many holy objects, including Torahs, have been torn up, burned or smeared over with ink or desecrated with slogans.
Others shuls have been hit by Molotov cocktails (gasoline filled bottles) or are broken into and fires started, or worse.
The same is happening to empty churches, mosques and temples. Catholic churches have been hit by desecrations in the US, France and elsewhere with statues of Jesus and Mary and other relics being targeted. And many of Catholic churches have been set on fire. In Como, Italy a Catholic priest was stabbed to death. In the Philippines a Catholic priest was cut down by gunmen. In Nigeria a Catholic priest was killed trying to protect his church.
The same has happened in virtually all Christian denominations. There are church fires set almost every day. Sanctuaries have been torn up, pews broken and overturned, crosses broken.
And Black churches have been singled out by racists and white supremacist groups. Many have been burned.
These days it is less likely to see shootings and other physical attacks in religious places than before the pandemic, but it is still happening. Last year in Germany the Halle synagogue was attacked by a neo-Nazi who also killed a woman on the street and attacked a Turkish kebab shop. A German court sentenced the shooter to life imprisonment.
Most holy places have no security whatever, or they have very minimal security in the form of a few cameras or a burglar alarm. On the whole the level of security in religious sites is poor. Want evidence? There are a number of religious sites that have been attacked multiple times. If they had good security it would not have happened once, let alone repeat performances.
More evidence? The Poway synagogue was not protected even though the synagogue got a federal security grant. There are lawsuits pending on the Poway Chabad case.
As synagogues, churches, mosques and temples are starting to open up, the threat profile rises because now lives are at stake, not just facilities (as meaningful as facilities are).
To get people started in the right direction I thought a fast read, short version of my book on “Security for Holy Places” was needed. The flip book, officially called Securing Your Religious Sanctuary Guide is being offered free to the public.
The flip book has links to important information and includes a number of videos. It will work on practically any device such as laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile (but for all you need an internet connection).
The guide can be found at this link. It can also be found at my website, www.securityforholyplaces.org
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Stephen D. Bryen is a former U.S. Defense Department deputy undersecretary.