Gov. Inslee attends Seattle vigil, security increased after Pittsburgh shooting

Governor Jay Inslee attended a vigil Monday evening to mourn the loss of 11 people killed in a violent attack at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday.

A large crowd gathered at Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, which was open to the public. The vigil was hosted by Temple De Hirsch Sinai, JFS Seattle, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.

Five rabbis in the Seward park neighborhood organized another joint vigil on Sunday night at Seattle’s Bikur-Cholim-Machzikay Hadath synagogue, promoting unity.

“We all have questions: why did this happen?” Rabbi Yaakov Tenanbaum told KIRO 7. “But the more important question to answer is: how do we respond to this tragedy? And the answer is coming together as one.”

Nancy Greer with the Jewish Federation said there has been an outpouring of support in the Puget Sound region.

“That gives us hope,” Greer said. “That while there are bad actors and people with hate in their heart out there, there are many more people who have a deep sense of humanity regardless of their background.”

Increased Seattle security

While Rabbi Tenanbaum said that unity during this difficult time is important, he adds, however, that using armed security is now a big focus moving forward.

“Of course we are going to have to increase security at every synagogue here in Seward Park, as well as armed security guards,” Tenanbaum said.

Over the weekend of the tragedy, armed security could also bee seen in front of  Temple De Hirsch Sinai.

Rabbi Daniel Weiner of Seattle’s Temple De Hirsch Sinai says they’ve had private armed security since 2000 after a similar shooting in Los Angeles.

“We’re not alone, I think a lot of major Jewish organizations, particularly synagogues around the country responded after that attack with an increase in security,” Weiner said. “And certainly that was augmented further with the attack on the Jewish Federation here in Seattle in 2006.”

One person died in that 2006 attack. Five others were injured. Greer says that the Jewish Federation has since used grants from non-profits and Homeland Security to fund added safeguards.

“We as a community have invested millions of dollars in security hardening,” Greer said. “And think about that, just to keep us safe so we can go about our daily business is mind boggling, it’s sad, and it’s reality.”

Rabbi Weiner further added that he doesn’t agree with the concept some have of congregants being armed themselves.

“If God forbid someone came in suddenly, everyone would be pulling out their gun and there would be a huge crossfire during a service,” he said. “That is insane.”

Police increase patrols

Police in the region also increased security around Jewish communities, patrolling near synagogues over the weekend following the Pittsburgh incident.

“We’ve alerted our district officers to increase patrol presence at our different synagogues,” Bellevue police officer Tory Mangione said.

“We look at our own community and we want to establish a level of security with our community and let them know we do take matters seriously that occur in other areas of the country,” he said.

Sergeant Sean Whitcomb said that Seattle police also increased patrols around Jewish sites in the city. He notes that the Seattle Police Department has many Jewish police officers, a Jewish community liaison officer, and a Jewish advisory council.

“This reflects the different advisory councils we have of our many diverse communities here in Seattle,” Whitcomb said. “And it’s so critical and vital that when something of this nature occurs elsewhere in the United States or in the world, we are prepared here locally.”

“Of course we have reached out to our partners at the FBI,” he said. “There is no Seattle nexus that anyone is aware of. However, because of the scale of the tragedy in Pittsburgh, we want to make sure that there is a visible police presence here in Seattle.”

Ultimately, Greer with the Jewish Federation said that it would be better to not have to rely on police.

“It’s really incumbent on each of us as individuals to own it, to speak out, to do the right thing, and create the cohesiveness and extinguish this hate,” she said.