Congregation Beth Israel
Texas man who sold gun to hostage-taker gets nearly 8 years
By Associated Press — October 25, 2022
(RNS) — Malik Faisal Akram used the weapon when he entered Congregation Beth Israel in the Dallas-area suburb of Colleyville.
An interfaith group in Oregon is behind one of nation’s strictest gun control measures
By Alejandra Molina — July 26, 2022
(RNS) — ‘Never underestimate what can come from a church basement, a synagogue, a mosque or a temple,’ said the Rev. Mark Knutson, senior pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church in Portland, Oregon.
‘Rabbi Charlie’ balances Colleyville fame with one-to-one connection
By Yonat Shimron — July 19, 2022
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (RNS) — Safety is still his watchword, but building community is his mission.
US houses of worship increase security after shootings
By Luis Andres Henao and Deepa Bharath — July 19, 2022
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Past attacks on houses of worship and other public spaces have prompted faith leaders to evaluate — sometimes for the first time — if there is more that can be done to keep their flocks safe.
DHS official Marcus Coleman offers security tips for houses of faith marking holidays
By Adelle M. Banks — April 14, 2022
(RNS) — Coleman advises congregations to keep a watchful eye as they open their doors for in-person gatherings marking special occasions, traditional worship and everyday work.
Colleyville Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker to take new pulpit in North Carolina
By Yonat Shimron — February 25, 2022
(RNS) — The Winston-Salem congregation with about 280 member families is more than double the size of the Colleyville congregation.
Dilemma for houses of worship: Openness or safety?
By Beth Kissileff and Rosalind C. Hughes — January 25, 2022
(RNS) — Our hope as those who attend and lead religious institutions is to maintain our humaneness and treat others with compassion, while keeping ourselves and others safe.
Resisting hate, as people of faith, includes readiness for self-defense
By Dwight Lee Wolter — January 24, 2022
(RNS) — We are not helpless in our new reality.
Jewish leaders, backers defiant a week after hostage siege
By Peter Smith — January 24, 2022
(AP) — At synagogues around the US, Jewish leaders marked the first Sabbath since last weekend's hostage-taking with a show of defiance against acts of antisemitism.
Texas rabbi urges Americans to view each other in God’s image
By Yonat Shimron — January 21, 2022
(RNS) — Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who survived a hostage-taking at his synagogue last Saturday, gave the closing remarks at an online White House briefing Friday, with an impassioned plea for civility.
Online forum draws hundreds of faith leaders to counter religious opposition to abortion
By Alejandra Molina — January 21, 2022
(RNS) — 'So many of the abortion restrictions we’re seeing come from a particular religious lens that doesn’t represent the majority of the country,' said a Presbyterian pastor.
Jewish leaders renew antisemitism fight after hostage case
By Peter Smith — January 20, 2022
(AP) — The gunman’s words were all too familiar to Jewish leaders and terror experts, who saw the attack on Congregation Beth Israel as yet another in the rising number of antisemitic hate crimes.
Phone call shows brother pleading with Texas hostage-taker
By Sylvia Hui, Jill Lawless, and Danica Kirka — January 20, 2022
LONDON (AP) — British police are continuing to support U.S. authorities with their investigation into Saturday’s hostage incident. Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British citizen, took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue.
Synagogues forced to balance welcoming the stranger with protecting their own
By Yonat Shimron — January 19, 2022
(RNS) — In the aftermath of the Colleyville standoff, many security experts say protecting synagogue buildings may mean locked doors, hired guards, cameras and intercom systems.
11 hours of prayer and solidarity at the Colleyville synagogue standoff
By Omar Suleiman — January 18, 2022
(RNS) — At the request of his editors, our columnist writes about waiting with hostages’ families.
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