(RightIsRight.co) – As the Passover holiday is coming up next week, FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed his concerns about potential dangers facing Jewish Americans.
The Secure Community Network (SCN), a Jewish security organization hosted an event where Wray told attendees, “Today, we at the bureau remain particularly concerned that lone actors could target large gatherings, high-profile events, or symbolic or religious locations for violence.”
He continued, “…[p]articularly a concern, of course, as we look to the start of Passover on Monday evening.”
He added that between October 7 and January 30 of this year, they started over three times more investigations into anti-Jewish hate crimes compared to the four months preceding October 7.
“And, naturally, this is in addition to the already heightened number from the previous year,” he stated.
Wray’s alert follows a recent report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which revealed a more than twofold increase in antisemitic incidents last year.
The ADL documented 8,873 cases of antisemitic assault, harassment, and vandalism, which marked the highest figure since they began tracking such incidents 45 years ago.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt remarked, “Antisemitism is nothing short of a national emergency, a five-alarm fire that is still raging across the country and in our local communities and campuses.”
On the other hand, SCN national director and CEO Michael Masters aimed to reassure the Jewish community amidst the surge in antisemitic hatred.
“Unprecedented threats do not need to equate to unnecessary fear or panic,” Master said.
He also added that the public can “rest assured that those focused on the safety and security of the community are maintaining a laser-like focus on this so Jewish life can exist and thrive.”
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