I wasn’t planning to write today. With Yom Kippur yesterday and Sukkot approaching next week, work time is extremely compressed. But after hearing the news last night—at the close of Yom Kippur—about the deadly attack in Manchester, I felt compelled to put some thoughts into writing.

First, my heart aches for the Manchester Jewish community. To be physically attacked on the holiest day of the year is traumatizing in ways I cannot begin to imagine. I saw images on TV of older adults and children huddled outside the synagogue, presumably after the attack. It was hauntingly reminiscent of what I experienced in Pittsburgh in 2018.

Why is it that Jewish communities around the world must live under such extreme security measures? I know many of you have your own answers: some will blame politicians, others the inflammatory rhetoric so commonly used, some will point to extremists and others to social media. What I know for certain is that we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on security across Jewish Pittsburgh—funds that could otherwise go toward feeding the hungry, educating our children and so much more. Yet Jewish life today demands this level of security to ensure we can continue doing those very things.

I’ve already reached out to the Manchester Jewish community through an old professional colleague and friend in the UK to see if our community, with its knowledge and experience, can help in any way. I don’t know if I’ll hear back quickly—I understand what the first days after a fatal attack feel like. Everything is a blur, and decisions must be made rapidly.

I don’t believe the need for security will subside anytime soon. While I’m disheartened by the cost, I’m proud of the infrastructure Federation has built: three professionals dedicated to training, overseeing facility hardening and cultivating deep relationships with local law enforcement. I felt that pride yesterday at my synagogue when I saw the BluePoint system installed throughout the building (soon to be in 35 of our Jewish communal buildings), funded by Federation. Security coordination and police presence at Jewish institutions were largely managed—and partially funded—by our security team. I noticed the “go bags” with emergency equipment in the sanctuary corner, ready for any type of crisis. We’ve installed License Plate Readers (LPRs) in several locations thanks to generous Federation donors. And our Virtual Block Watch allows everyone to contribute to community security by letting us know if you have doorbell or home cameras, so we can reach out if video footage is ever needed.

No, I don’t like that we have to spend a dime on any of this. But that doesn’t diminish how proud I am of the personnel and systems we’ve put in place.

May the memories of Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, the two victims in Manchester, forever be a blessing.

Shabbat Shalom.