State Department urges heightened security for Jews during High Holidays

“We urge your government to deploy law enforcement, counterterrorism or military forces, as appropriate, to synagogues and other locations hosting services or events,” the cable states.

By Mike Wagenheim, JNS

The U.S. State Department is directing nearly all of its global missions to emphasize to local governments the importance of protecting their Jewish communities during the upcoming High Holidays, according to a diplomatic cable that JNS saw.

The notice requests delivery of basic information about the holidays and of the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, which occurred during Simchat Torah 2023.

It also notes that other recent terror attacks have occurred on or around Jewish holidays.

“We urge your government to deploy law enforcement, counterterrorism or military forces, as appropriate, to synagogues and other locations hosting services or events,” the cable states.

It also asks U.S. diplomatic missions to direct that message to the highest available levels of government in the countries where they are based.

“This deployment should also extend to residential corridors in Jewish communities, where congregants often walk predictable routes at predictable times in identifiable dress,” the cable states.

It also says that missions should urge their host governments to provide security briefings and security coordination avenues to Jewish institutions, security entities and businesses ahead of the holidays. This year, the two-day observance of Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Sept. 11, a Friday night and also the start of Shabbat. It ends after sundown on Sunday, Sept. 13.

The cable also encourages countries to deploy patrols around busy areas and notes that religious Jews don’t use electronic communications during nearly all of the holidays and that a system should be in place to warn them directly of sudden impending threats.

Yehuda Kaploun, a rabbi and the U.S. State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, declined to comment to JNS about the cable.

A source told JNS a similar notice was sent out in late March ahead of Passover.