Boston-area synagogues on alert after Michigan attack...

Police confirmed they have stepped up patrols around synagogues in Brookline, which is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in Massachusetts. “We are aware of the tragedy that occurred in Michigan today,” Brookline Police Superintendent Russell O’Neill said in a statement. “We have increased patrols around these institutions and encourage anyone to report suspicious behavior.” Likewise, police in Newton, home to another sizable Jewish community, said Thursday they also had increased patrols of religious schools and houses of worship. There currently are no known threats in Newton, police said, but police officials have been in contact with several religious leaders in the community and residents are reminded to remain vigilant. Authorities said there is no intelligence suggesting a threat to Jewish institutions in the Boston area. State Police spokesperson Tim McGuirk said the agency is monitoring the situation through the Commonwealth Fusion Center but has not identified any local risks. “The Massachusetts State Police and the Commonwealth Fusion Center continually maintain situational awareness on matters that could have an impact on public safety in the Commonwealth,” McGuirk said in a statement. “If you see something, say something.” Federal officials delivered a similar message Thursday. Speaking at a public safety briefing ahead of this weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Boston FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks said authorities are not aware of any specific or credible threats to the region. “We’re sharing intelligence in real time, and our five Joint Terrorism Task Forces are working 24/7, as always, to address and disrupt any potential threats that may emerge,” Docks said. Still, Jewish leaders say security has been a growing concern for years, particularly since the deadly 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Vogel said synagogues have steadily strengthened their security in the years since. “Over the past few years we’ve been adjusting our security needs to fit the current situation,” he said. Vogel said many congregations also participate in the Jewish community’s security network coordinated by Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Even with those precautions, Vogel said news of attacks like the one in Michigan continue to be deeply unsettling. “There is fear and trauma that comes from learning about these events,” he said. “We all have to deal with that reality and also be able to live our lives in normal ways the best we can.” Jeremy Yamin, vice president of security and operations for Combined Jewish Philanthropies said, “we were already at a heightened level of alert” before Thursday’s attack in Michigan, but the organization is still asking its partners to review security plans and contact local police departments to let them know what hours synagogues and community centers will be open and what events are planned. “We’ve seen an increased threat and a correlation to a need for higher security in a sort on an iterative fashion over many years, he said. CJP spends 3.5 million a year to provide security support to 350 Jewish partner organizations in eastern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, Yamin said. “It’s expensive, but necessary,” Yamin said. “It’s unfortunate, but there’s no way around it these days.” Jewish leaders also say tensions stemming from violence in the Middle East have weighed heavily on congregants. “The violence that’s going on in the Middle East is upsetting to us all and it affects us all,” Vogel said. “We really don’t want violence there to translate into violence here.” At Temple Israel of Boston, executive director Dan Deutsch said security has long been a priority for the synagogue, which began investing heavily in safety after the Sept. 11 attacks almost 25 years ago. “The safety and security of our community is our top priority,” Deutsch said. “We have been focused on this for decades now.” Deutsch said he was relieved to hear that preparations at the Michigan synagogue helped prevent a greater tragedy. “My heart is with them,” he said. “I’m really just grateful that all their planning and preperation, which lines up with most Jewish organizations, paid off today.” Vogel said synagogues are trying to balance heightened vigilance with maintaining a sense of normalcy for worshippers. “There’s a Jewish teaching that the whole world is a narrow bridge; the main thing is not to let fear overtake you,” he said. “We want to strike the right balance between vigilance and normalcy.” Yamin, at CJP, warned against synagogues completely closing or going on any sort of permanent lockdown. “Terrorism is designed to to create fear and terror and to have people alter their behavior,” he said. “We want to both understand that that’s a valid concern, but we also don’t want to let it stop us.” “We need to be able to express ourselves,” Yamin said. “Stay open, review and/or increase your security, but don’t shut down, don’t go into hiding, that’s very important.” Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com. Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.