Along with the armed guards, some Israeli hareidim are also receiving firearms training paid for by the London group. While almost all other Jewish Israelis have served or are currently serving in the IDF and have firearms and basic self defense training, haredi generally refuse to serve in the IDF and therefore do not have either.
London Haredi Group Raises Money To Provide Armed Security Guards For Haredi Synagogues – In Israel
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
In response to the a terror attack two months ago at a haredi synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem, members of London’s haredi community are reportedly raising money to pay for stepped up security for haredi synagogues in Israel with the aim of having armed private security guards on duty at haredi synagogues across the country during prayer times.
Along with the armed guards, some Israeli hareidim are also receiving firearms training paid for by the London group.
While almost all other Jewish Israelis have served or are currently serving in the IDF and have firearms and basic self defense training, haredi generally refuse to serve in the IDF and therefore do not have either.
The Har Nof synagogue attack killed five Israelis – four haredi men and one Druze policeman who was killed while rescuing a Jew from the two Islamic fundamentalist terrorists who carried out the attack.
The carnage at the synagogue was as high as it was in part because the synagogue installed an illegal cell phone jamming device to prevent worshipers from using cellphones – which have been banned by leading haredi rabbis who have labeled them everything from immodest to the Satan – in and nearby the synagogue. That meant that the haredim inside and nearby passersby had no way to immediately alert police to the attack.
Despite this, haredi rabbis have not retracted their ban or come out against the jamming devices.