By NY Post
It’s high noon for the high holidays.
Fearing jihadists will attack synagogues during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a group of tough rabbis has developed a program to turn your average shul-goer into a lean, mean fighting machine.
The group, which calls itself the International Security Coalition of Clergy, was founded by Rabbi Gary Moscowitz, who boasts a black belt in karate, teaches martial arts and was an NYPD cop for nine years.
He’s teaching others basic and advanced fighting moves — how to take down a terrorist by the neck, how to use a table as cover from gunfire and how to execute a nifty running somersault while drawing a gun — that he says can be used by Jews if they’re attacked by terrorists during prayer.
“Jews are not like Christians,” Moscowitz said. “If I turn my cheek, I’m coming around to make a kick.”
Moscowitz said he doesn’t think Muslims in general are a threat, but “extremist groups are.”
“We’re just worried about the safety of the houses of worship that are being threatened with rhetoric on regular basis and extremism,” the 52-year- old rabbi said.
Moscowitz said few people took him seriously until May, when the FBI busted homegrown Muslim terrorists for allegedly plotting to blow up synagogues in The Bronx.
Since then, he said, his phone has been ringing off the hook and he created a 100-hour course for synagogue self-defense.
Moscowitz said NYPD officers aren’t qualified to guard synagogues because they don’t know members of the congregation.
“A terrorist could put a yarmulke on, say, ‘Happy holidays,’ and blow the place up,” he said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the rabbi had been fired in the early 1990s from the force, but didn’t know details. Asked about Moscowitz’s criticism of the NYPD, Browne opted for a biblical-like statement.
“Blessed are the tight of lip,” he said, “for they shall resist speaking ill of the ill-informed.”
TOTALLY WEIRD!
This kind of thing happens all over the world, it just isnt reported in the media. This guy is a total amature, how is plastic table going to be any sort of cover ? A trained person would never do anything as foolish as rolling over a plastic table for imaginary cover.
About time Jews become defenders of themselves and be less reliant on the non-caring Goyim. Yes Hashem is the ultimate protector but we must be PROACTIVE and not Chas Vshalom REACTIVE to a dreadful situation.
I applaud Mr. Markowitz.
a Jew need to not only know how to defend self, but others as well; this is what Moskowitz is all about here
Ksiva v’chasima tova
it strange when a person is excited about something what on a regular day hell convince other people to do
what r u excited about and what r u convincing people to get involved with
STRANGE………………………………..
it’s 2 things. awesome and…. weird. it might be a fraud y’think
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