The New Reality Openly Gathering in Jewish Spaces

Multiple people admitted they were hesitant about joining large crowd at the Greater Chicago Jewish Festival last Sunday at a nature preserve in a nearby suburb.  The festival grounds were on a large field of grass in the middle of the forest – would a crowd of Jews in an open space without cover be a target for the same terrorism that just took place in Washington DC and Boulder, Colorado?

To the festival’s credit, they worked with police and security to ensure there were limited entry points with metal detectors, barriers and a substantial security presence.

At I’m sure an incredible expense, I felt protected and concerns about safety were replaced with standard parenting realities – such as realizing we made a mistake not bringing a stroller.  We enjoyed stumbling upon family and friends amongst the crowd.  Our biggest challenge was trying to extricate with our four year old from the adorable baby goats at the petting zoo so we could hear my cousin’s a cappella group perform.

As our family cleared the security perimeter on the way out, I thanked a group of police officers. The words were heavy, struggling through an unexpected lump in my throat.  I think it was the realization of just how much more security this event required than when it was last held three years ago.

Guards are not new at Jewish spaces and events.  However, the need for this level of security is – as is the level of fear gathering in Jewish spaces.

A friend who performed at a prior Greater Chicago Jewish Festival remembers people strolling in the woods hearing the music and stopping by the stage to listen.  Today that feels reckless.

Due to the threat of domestic terrorism, we are a community under siege.

There is a culture of whataboutism that refuses to acknowledge and condemn hatred.  Slogans rise above substance. It’s made the United States a much harder place to be a Jew.

I’m grateful that we have the resources to ensure there’s adequate security for large gatherings, but it’s hard to reconcile that this is what America has become.