Charlotte rabbi: Heightened security is now fact of life during High Holidays – spectrumlocalnews.com

Charlotte rabbi: Heightened security is now fact of life during High Holidays  spectrumlocalnews.com

Charlotte Jewish community balances Yom Kippur traditions with security concerns. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jewish communities are observing Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, with fasting, prayer and reflection. But for one Charlotte synagogue, the observance also comes with heightened security concerns. Yom Kippur comes just days after Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and amid heightened concerns about antisemitism and ongoing tensions in the Middle East. At Temple Israel on Providence Road in Charlotte, Rabbi Michael Wolk said the High Holidays bring together members of the Jewish community who may not regularly attend services. He said Yom Kippur is among the times when all 1,300 seats at the synagogue are filled.

But as Jewish communities gather, Wolk said concerns about recent antisemitism remain. “The wave of antisemitism that started on Oct. 7 is very much still part of our lives. And people are seeking that Jewish attachment,” Wolk said. Wolk said having a place where people can feel safe gathering as a Jewish community is important, but security has increasingly become part of that experience. The Anti-Defamation League recorded more than 6,200 antisemitic incidents across the United States in 2025, five times the number recorded a decade earlier. At Temple Israel, those concerns have led to additional security measures, including the use of metal detectors. “Security is