The threat landscape for Jewish and Muslim communities has prompted federal and local law enforcement agencies to increase monitoring and security planning, officials said during a national briefing organized by the Secure Community Network ahead of Passover. The briefing, held with participation from federal and local agencies, focused on strategies to keep places of worship safe as officials described a rise in hateful incidents and extremist activity since the war in the Middle East began.
Officials said the FBI is investigating a March 12 attack in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in which a driver drove a vehicle through the doors of Temple Israel, which the briefing materials described as the nation’s second-largest congregation in Reform Judaism. During the briefing, federal and local authorities discussed what they called ongoing risks for faith communities nationwide, including threats that they said could include potential attacks around worship times and major holidays.
Michael Masters, national director of the Secure Community Network, framed the security challenge around the objective of terrorizing communities into staying away. “We know a goal of our enemies is to scare us into submission so that we make a decision to not show up,” Masters said during the national security briefing. He added that with strong safety and security measures in place, “that doesn’t need to happen,” according to the account of his remarks at the session.
Masters said the briefing took place amid rising global tensions and pointed to hateful incidents documented in other countries and cities, including southern California and Toronto as well as investigations in Antwerp and London involving car burnings described as antisemitic. He and other participants also discussed how law enforcement and community organizations plan to maintain safety and security for worship activities despite the broader climate.
Jewish leaders also described their engagement with federal officials as they planned for security improvements. Gary Torgow, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, said the March 12 incident was “no longer a surprise” for Jewish communities, and he warned that “hate today spreads at lightning speed through misinformation on social media.” Torgow warned that the rapid spread of bigotry could create conditions in which violence becomes more likely, and he said Jewish leaders raised their concerns in meetings with senior FBI officials.
According to the briefing account, Torgow said he and other Jewish leaders met last week with senior FBI officials to discuss federal efforts to combat antisemitic incidents since the Trump administration launched joint strikes with Israel on Iran, sparking retaliatory strikes and a broader regional conflict. Andrew Bailey, the FBI’s deputy director, was among the meeting participants, and Torgow said Bailey showed “a sincere concern and a really active engagement.” Torgow said an attack on a synagogue is “an attack on the principle that every American should be able to worship in peace,” and he described it as a broader warning about safety for worshippers.
Federal authorities also discussed the range of threats they are monitoring, including potential plans by radicalized individuals to target places of worship or strike during high-profile events. Officials during the briefing did not share any known threats to upcoming events, and Secure Community Network officials said they did not know of any active threats to Jewish communities at present. Matthew Kozma, the under secretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, said that while authorities seek to defend against would-be malicious actors, they also need to watch for threats from “all aspects and assailants” as the U.S. prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the America 250 celebrations later this year.
At the federal level, officials also cited prior congressional testimony describing intelligence focus on individuals radicalized through Islamist propaganda online, even if they have not had direct contact with designated extremist groups. The briefing account also said the FBI is investigating two recent incidents as acts of terrorism, including an attempted bombing of anti-Muslim protests in front of the New York mayor’s residence and a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
The briefing also included discussion of how officials and experts see hate incidents and extremist rhetoric as feeding on broader political and digital dynamics. Seth Levi, chief strategy officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the drivers of spikes in antisemitic attacks and other hateful conduct include heightened international tensions, polarized domestic politics, and new digital technologies. Levi said those pressures have helped move ideas and conspiracy theories from the fringes into wider political debate, and he attributed much of the spread to social media and the increased ease with which hateful rhetoric can be shared.
Levi said the organization has monitored a large rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric over the last year that intensified since the war in the Middle East began. He said physical harassment can create more direct fear for targeted communities than online activity, and he said polling reviewed by the Southern Poverty Law Center finds most Americans still strongly disapprove of hateful violence and rhetoric.
Jewish community leaders tied the security push to maintaining faith life despite threats. Wendy Berger, chair of the Secure Community Network, said, “The vibrancy of Jewish life in North America, Jewish life everywhere, only happens with our own efforts,” adding that security is “up to us” even with federal, local, and state partners involved. Berger said community efforts are necessary to sustain worship and community life as law enforcement and community organizations continue to plan around emerging risks.
As part of the security discussion, local law enforcement also described how the threats have reached beyond specific targets. Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said he had received antisemitic death threats for responding to attacks, and he urged communities to “step up, stand out and do everything we can to protect our communities,” according to the briefing account.
The Jewish Federations of North America said it planned rallies in Washington in May calling for greater efforts to combat antisemitism from lawmakers, and Eric Fingerhut said the Temple Israel attack underscored the need for continued security upgrades. Fingerhut said Jewish communities must increase security and work closely with law enforcement while addressing what he described as root causes of bigotry and extremism, even as officials monitor potential threats and plan for major dates on the calendar.