By Dovid Efune, Algemeiner Journal
On the 26th of November 2008 the world recoiled in horror as the infamous Mumbai terror attacks unfolded. Three days later, unthinkable death and devastation remained. For the Jewish community the brutal murder of Chabad emissaries Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg highlighted the vulnerability of many that stand at the forefront of community work in remote corners of the globe.
Now, over the past few weeks, it has emerged that two other Chabad centers had been identified as targets in thwarted terror attacks.
On January 13th, Thai authorities announced that they had arrested a Lebanese citizen on suspicion of planning a terror attack in Bangkok. The New York Times reported that “Western intelligence agencies know that Hezbollah operatives have scouted El Al offices and counters in Thailand, as well as the Chabad House in Bangkok.” Security analysis blog Debkafile went a step further claiming that “It was to have followed the same lines as al Qaeda’s 2008 assault on the Mumbai Chabad center which killed 8 Israelis and Jews – only more ambitious.”
On Monday, Haaretz reported that in Baku, Azerbaijan, “The Azeri ministry said it had arrested a cell that planned to “kill public activists …it became apparent that the intended victims were two Israeli Chabad emissaries, a rabbi and a teacher employed by the Chabad Ohr Avner Jewish school in Baku.”
Israeli Interior minister Eli Yishai was right when he explained to Israeli security chiefs that “Chabad Houses in many countries are “the soft underbelly” of attacks because of the high volume of Israeli tourists and backpackers. Additionally, Chabad houses and rabbis are highly visible and symbolic targets for would be terror planners.
It is admirable and a source of great inspiration that the ‘Rebbe’s Army’ is by no means deterred by the inherent daily risks that they are undertaking for themselves and their families, standing at the forefront of Jewish communal activity wherever Jewish life is to be found. But what can be done to minimize the risk that many Chabad rabbis face?
Public displays of Jewish pride are an integral component of the Chabad modus operandi, precluding the possibility of lowering the profile of their activities. Whatever the risks, you won’t find a Chabad center buried within a building complex – like a Synagogue I visited in The Hague, Holland a few years back – that wouldn’t display so much as a small Star of David to mark its presence.
Of course investing in the hiring of security services and personnel is an option, but the expenses can become quite significant. The most effective security setup that I have seen, is in the South African Jewish community which established the Community Active Patrol (CAP) in 2006, an organization that in effect serves as a private Jewish army.
Ex military personnel armed to the teeth, and dressed from head to toe in black, patrol communal areas in imposing vehicles, investigating any suspicious activity. Their budget in 2011 was over 4 million rand, about half a million U.S. dollars. Rabbi Nechemia Wilhelm of Bangkok told Mishpacha magazine that “We have security 24 hours a day – at our expense, and at the cost of between 60 and 80 thousand dollars a year.”
Unfortunately, for many Chabad houses that are struggling to pay their bills for basic necessities like rent and electricity, the cost may be prohibitive.
A far cheaper and very effective strategy would be for the various Chabad emissary support groups to encourage the purchase of personal firearms for each rabbi and facilitate their weapons proficiency training.
As recorded in Chabad literature they would be following in the footsteps of the previous Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Schneerson, who, when informed of a threat from ‘gangsters’ that intended to attack him, made sure to carry a pistol. Perhaps an appropriate next project for the billionaire patron of the ‘shluchim’ Gennady Bogolubov would be to establish a ‘gun fund.’
Of course, this would only apply in countries where gun ownership is legal. According to gunpolicy.org this includes Thailand, India and Azerbaijan under the following terms, “Applicants for a gun owner’s license are required to prove genuine reason to possess a firearm, for example, hunting, sports shooting, collection, and self-defense.”
Additionally, if a Chabad gun policy were to be established and widely publicized, it would serve as an effective deterrent to would be attackers, who would likely rather seek the path of least resistance.
After all, wouldn’t one expect ‘the men in black’ to be strapped.
RELATED ARTICLES:
+ Chabad Forms Safety Watchdog
+ Rabbis Gunning for Terrorists
+ Should Shluchim Carry Guns
If you can’t get a gun permit in NY then maybe…
But you can buy a shotgun at walmart and keep it safely at home.
I would like to point out several things, but let me begin with the following. I am a US Army Sergeant, I have also served in the IDF. I have been working with or around weapons for the last 12 years. I am also a member of the NRA. I grew up in Crown Heights and I was there for the riots during which Yankel Rosenbaum was murdered by a mob of thugs, I also remember the rape and murder that was mentioned by #4. Tzivos Hashem’s comment is grossly naive. In 1948 the men who fought for Israel fought… Read more »
This Chabadnik packs heat. Just make sure to have ONE safe place for it and make sure you could ALWAYS get to it quickly (not behind suitcases or cases of Hamantashen…:)
woohoo- finally! a reason to become a shliach… i get a gun 🙂
Sefer Ha’Sichos 5681 page 21
From #21 the 1 in a million comparison is not relevent, how many people are killed by an attacker without arms? To think that the Holtzbergs would have been saved had they been armed is utopian but not realistic. How many armed soldiers in Israel were killed by organized attacks? I’m not against bearing arms (I’ve have relatives who pack and am quite comfortable around guns), but think it needs to be weighed against the (admittedly rare) danger of mishap and the odds of it one day saving your life (also admittedly rare). especially Shulichim that are not particularly savvy… Read more »
#26 this is a known fact, you can see his gun at the chabad library. He carried a gun for 1 year even learning to shoot it, he was in danger from the maskilim
count me in. train me.
Three tips to anyone interested in pursuing the article’s suggestion, SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY!
Can you provide more information about what you write in the article that “the previous Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Schneerson, who, when informed of a threat from ‘gangsters’ that intended to attack him, made sure to carry a pistol.”
#21, Whilst sad, thats a rarity. 80 million americans own guns, how often do you hear of these cases ? 1 in 1 million ? I have carried a loaded gun for almost 6 years, you need to learn proper firearms use and storage. Forget all the media hogwash and lies, these are simple FACTS. #1 most shootings are over by the time the cops get there, from mumbai to Virginia tech, columbine etc.. #2 civilians have time and again effectively put a stop to terror attacks, from yeshiva merkaz harav to the valentines day shooting in a mall a… Read more »
foolish point. Do you know, have you ever considered, how many people where mugged and shot and if they had a strong way to defend themselves it could have been avoided???
#21 it’s people like you, whom make it harder for law abiding citizens, to protect themselves. The story of Arik Sharon’s son, happened many years ago, and the details might not be as you portrayed. Now how dare you decide which shluchim live in dangerous area’s, I notice you mention, in a mocking way Kabul, but forgot about a place called Mumbai. I hope you do some real research and change your negative view about the basic human and Torah right to self defense.
It is not just Shulucom who are targets. Any Chassid who looks the “part” should heed this.
Ah, so now let’s draw Chabad into the guns contreversy.
Take a look at the newly released biography of Arik Sharon authored by his son and you will note that Arik’s eldest son A”H was killed as a child by misfiring his father’s gun.
If such a general “Arik hagibur” nebach lost a son from this with all the training etc. do we still think Shluchim should pack? yes, maybe the one in Kabul. Oh I forgot, no shliach in kabul…..
if anyone is interested in investing in there ability to react in an emergency pleas contact me at [email protected] i teach reality based martial art and i am NRA certified to teach safe firearms use
p.s. the Rabbi Danni cohen the shliach pictured above can vouch for me
IS the only way to go. Count me in.
Not just for shluchim, but for every Jewish household that is willing to undertake the responsiblity and training involved.
OK to do this on a large scale is a dream with all the money and legal issues however IF any Shliach or anyone for that matter wants to get some GUN training there is a certified NRA instructor email [email protected]
if you are in NYC, you live at the mercy of the great and powerful nanny bloomberg. he doesnt like guns, so you cant have one. whatever nanny michael wants, nanny michael gets. move chabad headquarters to the south and learn to be free.
There are more appropriate Jewish community security groups across the world who can provide training, advice and physical security from well trained and law abiding volunteers versus placing another responsibility on the shoulders of a shliach. They should definitely be trained and equipped, but security is a lot more than packing heat.
Possessing guns would only serve to create a feeling of false security and bravado. It wouldn’t really help if ch’vch there was an emergency. It would increase risk of accidient, risk of the wrong people getting hold of it, risk of use in the wrong circumstances, etc. Yankel Rosnbaum Hy”d was an expert in self-defense. He was doing a doctorate on the Holocaust, and felt that Jews should be able to defend themselves. ……… The Rebbe quoted many times that “we are day workers” (meaning that we have to deal with positive stuff). Let’s leave the security to the security… Read more »
I think that once the work gets out that the rabbi is packing it will get a lot quiter during his sermon
And to those that will argue that they will be no match against well armed terrorists, at least they’ll have a fighting chance. Dozens of terrorist attacks in israel have been stoped by Israeli civilians armed with handguns
there are well over 100 chevra many from crown heights who are currently serving or have served in the idf. we have our own army and a really good one.they can be organized and used to protect chabad houses in the u.s and abroad.there is what to talk about.
Comment 3, we no doubt have hashem on our side but dovid hamelech did arm his army, binayahu was a huge torah scholar and monumental warrior, your apparent lack of jewish history/jewish war history is only perpetuation the victim mentality.
The boys in Nmb are lucky to have you on our side
The problem is most Shluchim are busy 24/7 and not always concentrating on where their gun is. If a Shliach who is maybe not so responsible forgets where he left his gun and his kids find it later, the result could be tragic (C”V).
1)They know what a Nazi is.
2) They know how to deal with them.
3) Are willing to help other Jews by putting their money where there mouth is.Bolshoi Spacebo and A Groisse Yishar Koach!
Never again!
-Benveniste,Tsfat
This brings me back to my youth when the JDL (Jewish
Defense League) had their famous motto. A 22 FOR
EVERY JEW!
Bs”d
Then and there they can receive the reward of 70 wives …that all look exactly like Usama Bin Ladin.
It’s halacha.
is a great idea, but – as any responsible gun carrying person knows – training needs to be ongoing, at least once a month. also, very important, is that gun safety training take place since a gun is an extremely dangerous around a house. also, shluchim’s wives need to carry weapons. many of them living in communities and where their husbands are out all day. think 20 years ago in Crown Heights…
The army of Hashem uses better weapons than guns.
As far as the last line goes, I have stressed this hundreds of times, if a religious person defends himself with a gun and does so effectively, the word on the street will change, every time a religious person (at least outwardly) gets mugged or beaten, you portray us all as victims
Very right although not sure why this took so long, I have long advocated gun ownership and training.
If any shluchim in the state of florida want to learn to shoot or get the concealed license, contact me and i’ll arrange it free