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Jewish communities on high alert as Passover begins amid rising security threats nationwide
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As Jewish families across the United States celebrate Passover, an intensifying threat environment is shaping how communities approach the holiday and beyond. Tensions tied to the war with Iran, attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions have led to concerns over the community’s safety and security.
From Miami to New York, officials are responding to what they describe as a sustained and evolving threat landscape. At a pre-Passover security strategy briefing at the NYPD, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told Jewish community leaders, «It is clear that we will be in a heightened state of alert for the foreseeable future,» a warning that comes as policymakers and security experts point to a widening gap between the level of threat facing Jewish communities and the federal resources available to protect them.
Despite security fears, funding for houses of worship in the United States remains below what experts say is needed to meet the current threat, even as antisemitic incidents continue to rise.
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Aftermath of the attack on Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan. An attacker rammed into the building on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Temple Israel)
According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, anti-Jewish hate crimes have consistently accounted for the largest share of religion-based crime incidents in the United States in recent years.
The gap between risk and resources has become a central concern for those working directly with affected communities. Scott Feltman, Preventative Security Analyst and Executive Vice President at One Israel Fund, said no religious group should have to choose between remaining open and ensuring safety.
«No one should feel unsafe walking into a synagogue, church, mosque or temple in New Jersey or anywhere in America,» Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N., told Fox News Digital, who in recent weeks has been advocating for an increase in federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funding to $1 billion in fiscal year 2027, a proposal currently under consideration in Congress.
Recent attacks underscore the urgency. In Michigan, a man rammed a vehicle into a synagogue in West Bloomfield and opened fire while more than 100 preschool children were inside. In California, two Jewish men speaking Hebrew were reportedly assaulted in a restaurant while the attacker shouted antisemitic slurs.
Jesse Arm, Manhattan Institute vice president for external affairs, told Fox News Digital, «What the latest attempted massacre made clear — when an Islamist from Dearborn via Lebanon tried to ram an explosive-laden truck into a synagogue preschool in my hometown of West Bloomfield, Michigan — is that security works. The presence of trained, armed guards helped save the lives of 140 American children and their caretakers.
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«But the broader lesson for the Jewish community is that safety cannot be outsourced entirely to the federal government or to any administration. It requires a cultural shift: normalizing lawful firearm ownership and training, hardening facilities at every level, and investing in the day schools, camps and identity-forming institutions that build communities confident and rooted enough to defend themselves.»
Arm had praise for the administration in its fight against antisemitism: «President Trump has been a godsend for American Jewry. His administration has been unambiguous in its commitment to Jewish safety — naming antisemitism as a serious national security threat, taking a hard line on campus radicalism and prioritizing the kind of border security and counter-jihadist vigilance that the previous administration routinely soft-pedaled. American Jews should recognize that and be immensely grateful for it.»
Leo Terrell, chairman of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Antisemitism speaks during a reception for Black History Month in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 20, 2026. (Pool via AP)
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The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, administered by FEMA, currently allows at-risk institutions to apply for up to $200,000 per location. In practice, however, many organizations receive less than that amount, often after delays that can stretch one to three years, and demand for the program has exceeded available funding in recent years, with applications far outpacing the number of grants awarded, according to federal data.
Security experts add that the delay between identifying a threat and receiving funding can leave institutions without the protections recommended by security professionals during periods of heightened risk.
Antisemitic graffiti defaces Israeli-American Council HQ (The Israeli-American Council (IAC) national headquarters in Los Angeles)
To address those gaps, experts recommend layered security measures including trained personnel, reinforced entry points, surveillance systems, controlled access and emergency response training, which they estimate require between $400,000 and $500,000 in funding per location, roughly double the current federal cap. Security experts say both the funding level and the timeline for distribution have become central concerns as incidents continue to rise.
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Steven Ingber, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Detroit, said much of the financial burden for security continues to fall on the Jewish community itself rather than being fully addressed through government support.
As that debate continues, officials are urging institutions to remain vigilant and maintain close coordination with local law enforcement, particularly during periods of increased tension tied to global events.
Fox News Digital reached out to FEMA for comment but did not receive a response.
anti semitism, us, israel, new york city, terrorism, faith personal freedoms
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Florida and Mississippi voters will soon face new citizenship verification rules after governors signed the measures into law Wednesday, triggering at least two lawsuits in the Sunshine State.
The measures, signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, are aimed at upholding election integrity as similar legislation by President Donald Trump remains stalled in Congress.
Mississippi’s measure is expected to take effect on July 1, with Florida’s law following on Jan. 1, 2027.
Under both laws, voters will be required to provide citizenship documents — such as birth certificates, passports, or naturalization certificates — if local officials challenge their eligibility after cross-referencing databases for voter registration applications. If individuals fail to provide the required proof of citizenship after being flagged, both states are required to remove them from its voter registration rolls.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
DeSantis said the Florida SAVE Act will improve the security and transparency of the state’s election system.
«Safeguarding the electoral process to improve oversight and prevent unlawful influence has been a top priority for my administration since my first days in office,» he said in a social media post. «This legislation strengthens the security, transparency, and reliability of Florida’s election system.»
Lawsuits challenging the bill quickly followed, with one civil rights group arguing that some voters may not have the required documents and could face difficulties obtaining them.
«Many eligible voters do not have these documents and cannot obtain them for a variety of reasons—including because they were born without a birth certificate in the segregated South, because their documents were destroyed in a hurricane, or because they cannot afford the hundreds of dollars it costs to replace them,» the lawsuit filed in federal court in South Florida by the League of Women Voters of Florida stated.
Under the law, student IDs and retirement community identifications can no longer be used as polling identifications. New driver’s licenses must also reflect citizenship status starting July 2027.
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Voters cast their ballots on November 8, 2022, during midterm elections. (George Frey/Getty Images)
Separately, the Mississippi SHIELD Act does not mandate driver’s licenses to reflect citizenship.
However, it does require local officials registering voters to run additional citizenship checks if applicants do not provide a driver’s license number on their voter application.
Mississippi officials must also perform an annual statewide check against the federal database before a federal election to flag potential noncitizens.
«While states like California and New York flood their voter rolls with illegal aliens, Mississippi will do the opposite and defend Americans’ right to determine the outcome of elections,» Reeves said in a social media post. «We will continue to do everything in our power to make it infinitely harder – with a goal to make it impossible – to cheat in our elections!»
Civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center noted that the measure could disenfranchise Mississippi residents who lack the proper paperwork, including women whose last names changed upon marriage.
Mississippi Gov. Reeves, center, speaks during an event on Jan. 18, 2024, at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP)
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The new laws follow similar measures signed in late March by South Dakota and Utah to strengthen proof-of-citizenship requirements for voters.
Meanwhile, Trump’s own voting legislation — the Republican‑backed SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections — has been approved by the U.S. House but remains stalled in the Senate amid insufficient support to overcome the Democratic-led filibuster.
voter fraud concerns, ron desantis, florida, mississippi, governors
INTERNACIONAL
En plena guerra en Medio Oriente, el Gobierno de Donald Trump echó al jefe del Ejército de Estados Unidos
El secretario de Defensa, Pete Hegseth, pidió este jueves al máximo jefe del Ejército de Estados Unidos que renuncie y se retire, una medida extraordinaria en medio de la guerra con Irán y cuando el presidente Donald Trump había anunciado una posible intensificación del conflicto en las próximas dos o tres semanas.
La salida del general Randy George, que pensaba ocupar el cargo del Jefe de Estado Mayor del Ejercito hasta 2027, es el último de una serie de enfrentamientos entre el jefe del Pentágono y la alta dirección militar, donde hubo una serie de despidos.
“El Departamento de Guerra está agradecido por las décadas de servicio del general George a nuestra nación», publicó en X un portavoz del Pentágono.
Un alto funcionario de la cartera declaró a CBS News: «Estamos agradecidos por su servicio, pero ya era hora de un cambio de liderazgo en el Ejército». Otra fuente afirma que Hegseth quiere a alguien en el cargo que implemente para el Ejército la visión del presidente Trump y la del propio Secretario de Guerra.
El retiro forzado de George es una nueva señal de tensión dentro de las fuerzas militares y del gobierno de la estrategia sobre la guerra en Irán, que ya lleva más de un mes y EE.UU. aún no ha logrado resolver.
No se sabe aún cuál era la visión del despedido George sobre la guerra, pero es posible que no estuviera de acuerdo con los futuros planes de Hegseth y Trump sobre el terreno.
El presidente Trump dijo en un discurso el miércoles que había “diezmado” el poderío iraní con su ofensiva que comenzó el 28 de febrero junto con Israel y que los objetivos estaban cerca de cumplirse. Aseguró que seguían negociando con Teherán, pero amenazó con “atacarlos con muchísima fuerza en las próximas dos o tres semanas. Los haremos retroceder a la Edad de Piedra, que es el lugar al que pertenecen”.
Agregó que “si no se llegara a un acuerdo, tenemos la mira puesta en objetivos claves. Si no hay acuerdo, golpearemos con gran contundencia todas y cada una de sus centrales de generación eléctrica”. Trump busca una salida rápida de la guerra porque quiere frenar el alza del combustible en EE.UU y porque el conflicto es cada vez más impopular entre los estadounidenses.
Pero quiere retirarse victorioso o al menos con una narrativa de victoria. Analiza una ofensiva terrestre que podría incluir la invasión de la isla de Kharg y otras en el estrecho clave de Ormuz, donde pasa el 20% del petróleo mundial. Ya hay 50.000 tropas estadounidenses en el terreno, incluidos marines y paracaidistas y la fuerza especial de la 82va Brigada de despliegue rápido.
La duda ahora de Trump es acelerar con la invasión terrestre o buscar una salida diplomática que por ahora Irán no parece aceptar. Varios expertos consultados por Clarín señalaron que una ofensiva en el terreno implicaría una escalada con consecuencias más graves.
Hegseth, un ex militar que fue presentador de la cadena Fox, ha sido señalado varias veces como un “halcón” que lo convenció a Trump de que atacar Irán no sería demasiado complicado.
Además, George había sido asesor militar principal del secretario de Defensa Lloyd Austin durante el gobierno de Joe Biden. Aunque ese puesto suele considerarse apolítico y un papel asignado a los mejores oficiales militares, la proximidad de George a Austin ha sido considerada una mancha en su contra para Hegseth y su círculo.
No quedó claro de inmediato quién sustituirá a George, un oficial de infantería de carrera que sirvió en múltiples despliegues en Irak y Afganistán. Una posibilidad parece ser el general Christopher LaNeve, que se convirtió en vicejefe del Estado Mayor del Ejército en febrero tras el nombramiento de Hegseth para el cargo y su confirmación por el Senado.
El año pasado, LaNeve fue asistente militar principal de Hegseth en el Pentágono, después de que Hegseth despidiera abruptamente a otra oficial, la teniente general de la Fuerza Aérea Jennifer Short, que había ocupado el cargo. Hegseth entonces obligó a la salida anticipada del vicejefe de Estado Mayor del Ejército, el general James Mingus, para poner a LaNeve en ese cargo.
El portavoz jefe del Pentágono, Sean Parnell, ha dicho previamente que LaNeve es «un líder experimentado en batalla con décadas de experiencia operativa y en la que el secretario Hegseth confía plenamente para llevar a cabo la visión de esta administración sin fallos.»
Hegseth ha destituido a más de una docena de altos oficiales militares, incluyendo al presidente del Estado Mayor Conjunto, el general CQBrown, al jefe de operaciones navales almirante Lisa Francetti, al vicejefe de Estado Mayor de la Fuerza Aérea, el general James Slife y al jefe de la Agencia de Inteligencia de Defensa, el teniente general Jeffrey Kruse.
INTERNACIONAL
Iran’s tallest bridge collapses after reported US airstrikes; Iran threatens American allies in retaliation
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Iran’s biggest bridge near Tehran has crashed down in a stunning scene captured on camera following reports of U.S. airstrikes, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, as he pressed the regime to make a deal before tensions escalate further.
The B1 highway bridge, a key link between Iran’s capital and the western city of Karaj, is considered the tallest in the Middle East and was only inaugurated earlier this year.
Iranian state TV reportedly warned of potential retaliation, claiming the state’s military has identified multiple bridges in American-allied Middle East nations as targets, according to Iran International.
Trump posted a video on social media capturing a massive plume of smoke and debris after the bridge’s apparent collapse.
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The B1 bridge near Tehran collapsed after reported U.S. airstrikes. (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)
«The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again — Much more to follow! IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!» Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The strike on the bridge was aimed at cutting drone and missile supply lines to Iranian firing units targeting U.S. and Israeli forces, Middle East outlet i24NEWS reported, citing sources.
Iranian state TV also said the bridge was hit twice, roughly an hour apart, resulting in civilian casualties, Fars News reported.
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President Donald Trump pauses as he finishes speaking about the Iran war Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. (Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)
«A few minutes ago, the American-Zionist enemy once again targeted the B1 bridge in Karaj,» the broadcast said, noting that the first strike killed two civilians.
Fars News also reported that other areas of Karaj were struck.
Iran’s IRGC reportedly identified several bridges in American-allied nations as potential targets after the collapse of the B1 bridge. (Morteza Nikoubazl/Nur Photo)
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The outlet reported that Iran is considering plans to rebuild the bridge with the help of its engineers and experts.
In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has reportedly identified several bridges in American-allied nations across the Middle East as potential targets, including infrastructure in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and the Jordan-West Bank region.
middle east, war with iran, saudi arabia, iran, conflicts
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