It is typical to see armed worshipers during synagogue services in Israel, and an Orthodox civilian with a gun is being credited with having helped kill terrorists in a recent Jerusalem attack and making sure the attack wasn’t even more deadly than it was.

But American congregations shouldn’t allow individuals to carry weapons to synagogue unless they are part of the synagogue’s volunteer security team, according to Michael Masters, national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network.

“Allowing individuals in an unstructured, unplanned way to carry guns in a house of worship is simply not a viable or responsible option given the threat environment or the potential impacts of doing that,” Masters told JNS.

Synagogues that allow arms ought to do so via organized teams “with clear ro

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