The U.S. State Department is reportedly urging governments around the world to dramatically increase security around synagogues and Jewish communities ahead of the upcoming High Holidays. According to a diplomatic cable obtained by JNS, nearly all American diplomatic missions have been instructed to approach their host governments at the highest available levels and request additional protection for Jewish worshippers. The guidance specifically recommends deploying law enforcement, counterterrorism units, or even military forces when appropriate around synagogues and locations hosting religious services and events. Officials are also being asked to increase security in Jewish residential neighborhoods and along routes worshippers commonly walk to synagogue, particularly because Orthodox Jews may be easily identifiable by their clothing and often follow predictable routes and schedules.
The precautions reflect an increasingly dangerous environment for Jewish communities worldwide. The cable reminds governments that the October 7 Hamas massacre occurred during Simchat Torah and notes that other terrorist attacks have taken place around Jewish holidays. Because observant Jews generally refrain from using phones and other electronic communications during these sacred days, the State Department is even recommending that authorities establish alternative systems for delivering emergency warnings. The concern is not theoretical. A recent J7 report found more than 23,000 antisemitic incidents across seven major Jewish diaspora countries during 2025, with antisemitic violence killing 20 people—the deadliest year for Jews outside Israel in more than three decades. Now, as families prepare to gather for Rosh Hashanah and the holidays that follow, governments are being told that ordinary Jewish worship may require extraordinary levels of protection.
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