On a recent Thursday morning in suburban Detroit, a man drove a pickup truck loaded with explosives through the front entrance of Temple Israel, the largest Reform synagogue in the United States.
Inside, were more than 100 young children under the age of five. The vehicle smashed through barricades and concrete, racing down a hallway before becoming lodged in the twisted wreckage. The driver began shooting. Security personnel returned fire, and staff moved quickly to evacuate the children, as smoke filled the building from the truck’s engine compartment.
By the time the scene was contained, the only fatality was the attacker. But this horrific incident was a terrifying wake-up call. Without the brave security personnel at Temple Israel, the outcome would have been far worse.
WHAT I TELL JEWISH TEENAGERS DEALING WITH RISING ANTISEMITISM
Violent antisemitism is on the rise — not just beyond our shores, but right here in the United States.
According to the FBI, anti-Jewish hate crime incidents reached 2,086 in 2024, up 4% from 2023 and the highest level on record. That increase comes even after a 361% surge in antisemitic incidents in the three months following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack. As of 2025, Jewish Americans remain the second-most targeted group despite comprising only 2% of the population.
We have seen attacks in Jewish schools, museums, supermarkets, and private homes. Jews have been firebombed at peaceful protests in Boulder, and mowed down with cars in New York.
Many institutions have responded by investing in security, and for good reason. But these measures also have limits. Already, Jewish institutions spend an estimated $765 million a year on security, and for many communities, the protections that saved lives in Michigan are simply unaffordable.
Even in the best of circumstances, no system can cover every gap, and no police force, no matter how capable, can be everywhere at once.
Thankfully, in the United States, the Constitution enshrines the right to keep and bear arms. It recognizes that there are circumstances where individuals may need to defend themselves directly, particularly when immediate help is not available. Unlike in many other countries, Americans have the right to defend themselves, including, if necessary, through lethal force.
For many in the Jewish community, that is not an instinctive or comfortable position. There is a long history of emphasizing nonviolence and resilience, and for many American Jews, firearms have not been part of their lived experience. But the Jewish tradition also recognizes that as we pray for peace and work to repair the world, we must also be brave in defending our safety.
Lox & Loaded was created in March 2025 to provide a path for Jewish Americans to learn self-defense and firearms training. Our program brings together members of the Jewish community and our allies for serious and disciplined education. The goal is not to rush anyone into gun ownership, but to provide a structured environment where people of all levels can develop the skills and understanding needed to make informed decisions about their own protection.
Many who come through our training have never handled a firearm before and often never expected that they would. What they encounter is a meticulous curriculum that emphasizes safety, proper handling, and the legal responsibilities that come with firearm ownership. Participants work with certified instructors to build experience step by step.
We first started our trainings in Chicago, where gun laws are among the most restrictive in the country, and where understanding compliance with the law is as important as the training itself.
What began with a single chapter has now expanded to 21 states, 40 chapters, and over 1,000 members. That growth has been supported by our partnership with the NRA, whose network of trained instructors and safety-compliant ranges has helped us serve Jewish communities across the country. With time, any initial uneasiness and unfamiliarity on the part of our students gives way to a clearer understanding of preparedness and the confidence to act as their own first line of defense.
WHY IS IT A ‘RISK’ FOR DEMOCRATS TO CONDEMN ISLAMIC TERRORISM?
As interest in our organization grows, it is equally important that the ability to defend oneself remains protected, especially as lawmakers continue to push new restrictions in the name of reducing gun violence. We all want to prevent the scourge of gun violence against innocents. But the right of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families must be protected.
Since 1945, we have pledged “never again,” but with an important caveat: the Jewish people would no longer rely on others to protect them from threats. We must always be ready. Learning self-defense and undergoing firearms training is a critical component of that pledge. Today, we must commit ourselves to ensuring that our promise holds true, by force if necessary.
Gayle Pearlstein is an NRA-certified instructor and co-founder of Lox and Loaded.