Los Angeles Times

Synagogues renew debate over armed guards, security after Pittsburgh shooting

LOS ANGELES - To get into Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, visitors must find their way around a brick wall that separates the synagogue from the street, get buzzed through a gate, and avoid setting off suspicion among guards who protect the facility with guns.

In the aftermath of Saturday's deadly anti-Semitic shooting in Pittsburgh, Jewish congregations around the country are increasing security.

But at Temple Isaiah, a Reform Judaism congregation on the city's west side Westside that counts 900 families as members, the guards have been armed and ready for violence for nearly a year.

"None of us want this," said Rabbi Dara

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times3 min read
Review: Dua Lipa Is A Pop Star With No Lore On 'Radical Optimism'
Dua Lipa's "Radical Optimism" has a hilarious album cover, two songs about illusionists and what may end up the year's most succulent bass playing. What it doesn't have is the kind of detailed celebrity meta-narrative that's come to define — and to p
Los Angeles Times2 min read
Three Friends Drove From California To Mexico For A Surfing Trip. Then They Disappeared
MEXICO CITY — Last month, two brothers and one of their friends crossed from the United States into Mexico to explore Baja California's famous surf breaks. Pictures posted online by one of the brothers, Callum Robinson, 33, show the men gazing out at
Los Angeles Times2 min read
Three Friends Drove From California To Mexico For A Surfing Trip. Then They Disappeared
Last month, two brothers and one of their friends crossed from the United States into Mexico to explore Baja California's famous surf breaks. One of the brothers, Callum Robinson, 33, posted snapshots of their journey on Instagram, showing the men ga

Related Books & Audiobooks