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Jeff Cohen was able to keep a “complete sense of composure” during the 11-hour standoff he found himself in while attending services at his North Texas synagogue on Jan. 15. Taken hostage with three others, including a rabbi, Cohen knew he had to approach the situation like a chess game if they were all going to escape safely.
Pulling from the active-threat training he received at his synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, only half a year before, Cohen got the other hostages to slowly move toward the exit, setting them up for their eventual escape to safety.
This incident came after a record-breaking year of recorded antisemitic acts nationwide in 2021. And while Jewish people make up just 2% of the U.S. population, they are the target for more than 60% of religious-based hate crimes.
For North Texas synagogues, the Colleyville hostage situation was a harsh reminder of this state of affairs. In addition to reevaluating their existing security infrastructures, congregations are participating in security trainings covering everything from active-threat training and situational awareness to emergency first aid. Yet this is a recurring issue, and some wonder: Will it ever be enough?
The full program is now LIVE for the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, happening Sept. 22-24 in Austin. Explore the schedule of 100+ mind-expanding conversations coming to TribFest, including the inside track on the 2022 elections and the 2023 legislative session, the state of public and higher ed at this stage in the pandemic, why Texas suburbs are booming, why broadband access matters, the legacy of slavery, what really happened in Uvalde and so much more. See the program.
