Why Rabbis Must Teach the Moral Case for Jewish Self-Defense
Preserving life is the highest mitzvah—rabbis must lead the conversation on protection
The recent violent attack at a Chanukah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney is a stark reminder that Jews remain targets of lethal hatred worldwide. From synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh and Poway to the kosher market assault in Jersey City, and the surge in harassment and violence that spiked in 2018 and exploded after October 7, 2023, the pattern is unmistakable.
No Jewish community is immune. No synagogue is a sanctuary when hatred arrives armed.
Rabbis play a central role in guiding our communities, and their wisdom is invaluable. At the same time, when it comes to the safety of our people, clarity is essential. This article is not a critique of rabbis themselves, but a call for clear, direct guidance on Jewish self-defense—because history and experience show that our survival can depend on it.
In the face of this relentless threat, the guidance of our spiritual leaders is more crucial than ever.
Rabbis, your voice is still the most trusted in Jewish life. Torah commands us, above all else, to choose life—pikuach nefesh—the foundational Jewish principle that preserving human life overrides nearly all other religious obligations.
Halacha is unambiguous: “If someone comes to kill you, rise early and kill him first” (Sanhedrin 72a). The law of the rodef—the pursuer intent on murder—makes clear that stopping such a person is not only permitted but, when necessary, required, even if doing so demands lethal force to save an innocent life.
Today, this ancient mandate carries a contemporary responsibility: guiding congregants toward professional training, heightened situational awareness, and—where legal and appropriate—armed self-defense. Judaism sanctifies life, but it also demands that life be defended decisively when threatened.
Many synagogues worldwide have already taken important steps, employing armed rabbis and professional security teams. Every shul that has done so deserves praise. But services occupy only a few hours each week. Jews live, work, study, and move through the world the rest of the time.
When danger strikes outside synagogue walls, the only people present are the potential victims themselves. That is why rabbis must actively encourage congregants to pursue serious training and, where lawful, to be armed and prepared in their daily lives. Preparedness cannot be confined to one building or one hour of the week.
Every rabbi has a sacred opportunity—and, I believe, a sacred obligation—to teach this reality openly. This responsibility transcends denomination.
Orthodox rabbis can draw directly from the Gemara, the Rambam’s rulings on communal defense, and even King David’s armed psalms.
Conservative rabbis can highlight the long tradition of Jewish resistance, from the Maccabees to the Warsaw Ghetto, as ethical instruction rather than a historical footnote.
Reform rabbis can frame preparedness as empowerment: a moral response to hatred and a modern expression of choosing life.
Leadership today requires clarity. Quiet encouragement is no longer enough. Rabbis must partner with trusted security and training organizations, invite certified instructors for defensive handgun courses, trauma medical response, and active-shooter preparedness, and normalize the truth that well-trained, responsible congregants are an asset—not a liability.
Shul-based self-defense and firearms training offer a practical path forward: safe, voluntary, professionally run educational settings where congregants can develop personal protection skills. Advocating preparedness is not about cultivating fear; it is about fostering foresight.
Experience shows that after security incidents, synagogue safety budgets rise and training classes fill quickly. Extending that focus beyond emergency reaction and into everyday readiness is the logical next step.
Rabbis are not expected to be tactical experts. Their role is to teach Torah and to emphasize that preserving life is among the highest mitzvot. They can then connect congregants with qualified professionals who teach defensive skills responsibly, lawfully, and effectively.
A community that trains together prays with greater confidence, gives tzedakah with greater generosity, and raises children with greater hope. History will judge today’s rabbis not by the elegance of their sermons, but by whether they prepared their communities to survive when danger arrived.
The time to speak, to teach, and to train is now. Our ancestors rose early when threats appeared. Let us, their descendants around the world, do the same.
I forwarded this to our clergy for their consideration. Stay tuned!
We see within the Christian community that pastors, reverends, even priests often sermonize on subject matter beyond the Bible. Although this practice is often discouraged (by government) during Demonrat administrations, these clergy clearly recognize their duty of leading, advising their congregations on worldly occurrences beyond religion. During the Revolutionary War, men of the clothe widely participated in their local militia. With the unfortunate history of persecution and genocide of the Jewish people, it is imperative that Rabbis, looked at for guidance on just about everything, step up and talk to their congregations about armed self defense. Men’s Clubs, religious organizations could incorporate experienced arms trainers as speakers during their various functions, such as Sunday morning breakfasts. Jewish temples, their leaders, and other Jewish-based organizations should be helping their Jewish members to become trained (and armed) in the various aspects of self-defense. The Jewish faith cannot be carried forward if there are no Jewish survivors. Learn to fight like your life depends on it. It does.