Jews Are Buying Guns
Jewish Americans are flocking to learn gun safety and buy firearms amid war in Israel
By Melissa Koenig/nypost.com
Published Oct. 23, 2023, 12:39 p.m. ET
A growing number of American Jews are taking courses on firearm safety and going to shooting ranges around the country as they fear for their safety following Hamas’ attack on Israel.
More Jewish customers have been buying guns amid the rise of antisemitism following the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, according to David Kowalsky, who owns the Florida Gun Store in Hollywood, Fla.
“We’ve definitely seen a tremendous increase in religious Jewish people, Orthodox people purchasing firearms,” Kowalsky told NBC News.
“I’ve seen a surge in individual training as well as group training.”
Many of those Kowalsky and other firearms instructors throughout the country have been teaching have never picked up a gun before, including many women. Some have even spoken in favor of gun control.
“These are mothers, teachers, the majority of them are mostly people who have never interacted with firearms or thought about owning them,” Kowalsky said.
“There’s a safety concern,” he said. “I think people are nervous about what’s going on and what can happen.”
Among those seeking out guns is Henya Chein, who attended a gun safety seminar at her synagogue in Florida last week and went on to attend a one-on-one session at a local shooting range.
A growing number of American Jews are taking courses on firearm safety and hitting up shooting ranges around the country as they fear for their safety following Hamas’ attack on Israel.Getty Images
She said she has always been afraid of guns, but felt “forced to do it because Jewish people are not safe anywhere now.”
Endi Tennenhaus, a preschool director and mother of seven in Hollywood, Florida, also helped organize a gun safety training for women at her synagogue.
Her husband, who serves as the rabbi of the congregation, had already organized a men’s group to go to a local shooting range.
“I said, ‘What about the women? I’m sure some of the women would love to do that as well,” Tennenhaus told NBC News.
“If all of our husbands are buying guns, we want to make sure we also know [how] to use them and also be able to protect our children and be able to keep guns safe in their homes.”
Many of the Jewish Americans whom firearms instructors throughout the country have been teaching over the past week have never picked up a gun before, including many women. Some have even spoken in favor of gun control.Sygma via Getty Images
Tennenhaus said about 25 to 30 women attended the introductory class, and a shooting range session is scheduled for next week.
An unidentified 41-year-old woman in Miami Beach told NBC News she is pro-gun control and had no desire to ever pick up a gun.
But she decided to sign up for a gun training session after receiving death threats from unknown accounts on Instagram, where she had previously posted about being Jewish.
Some contained graphic images of dead bodies, she said.
“It’s not like, ‘Hey, I’m proud and happy and want to do this,’” said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous for her family’s safety. “I have no choice, it’s a very sad thing.”
Some synagogue congregations in the United States have organized firearm safety courses and outings at local shooting ranges.Getty Images
The rise in American Jews buying guns and seeking out gun safety courses is not just limited to Florida.
In Los Angeles, California, Rabbi Yossi Eilfort said the nonprofit he runs to provide classes and firearm training to the Jewish community has received more than 600 calls in the past week.
And Danniel Lombard, a Chicago police officer who runs DAVAD Civilian Defense, a firearms training company, said he has seen a massive uptick in interest from the local Jewish community, and will “definitely” add more classes to meet the demand.
Meanwhile, David Prince, who runs the Eagle Gun Range in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, said demand at his two locations has skyrocketed 300% since Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel.
“It’s been a really big change these last three or four days,” he told WFAA. “The people coming in and saying they are scared for their lives, because of their religion they are expecting to be attacked.”
The uptick in gun sales and training lessons among American Jews comes amid fears of antisemitism.Getty Images
The uptick in gun sales and training lessons marks a change for the American Jewish community, Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran New York-based political strategist and Orthodox rabbi, told NBC News.
“The majority of Jews in the country historically have been liberal on the left, pro-gun reform, pro-gun control, opposed to personal gun ownership,” he said, claiming: “Jews with guns were always seen as an odd event.”
But now, he said, it seems the long-held belief that the US is “one place in the world where Jews were safe, is coming to an end.”
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What do you think? Post a comment.
Since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, there have been 107 recorded antisemitic incidents across the US, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
It also found that there were 347 messages on Telegram from extremists calling for violence against Jews, Israelis and Zionists in just the first 18 hours after Hamas’ surprise attack — up approximately 488% from just the day before.
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Most of the Jewish families I have gotten to know over the years were already well armed. Most of them had parents or grandparents who perished during the Holocaust. I am sure the current state of the World will cause even more to arm themselves.
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Maybe they will change their voting habits so they can keep their guns.
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Good for them. Welcome to the club
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Do they haggle of the price? Asking for a friend.
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Good post @allen griggs, Thanks.
Just came back from my Mom's burial at the VA. I rode with my Sister. I was armed w/a reload on me. I cautioned my Sister, who has a CCW permit, that she needs to be armed right now and in the future. (And my "Sleeper Cell," opinion.) Better Safe, than Sorry. You just never know.
*If Killed, it will not be by lack of firing back.
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On the same note, this is kind of fun video of Israeli's lining up to buy guns as well. I read on another forum that Israeli citizens are only allowed to possess 50rds of pistol ammo. However with the terrorist attack that was raised to 100rds. Rifle calibers are not allowed to be privately owned. You would think they would've learned something from history... nope.
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I'll bet first time Jew gun buyer will be shocked here in California. I wonder if they'll cry anti-Semitism with the gun laws?
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TOO LATE!! Closing the door after the horse escapes is foolish.
It seems that Israelis have shifted from "We take care of ourselves" to "THEY(the military/police) will take care of us.
How familiar does this sound? 'Just call 911' and someone will take care of all your problems? The same kind of crap can(possibly WILL) occur right here in the US of A and very few citizens will be able to help themselves.
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They should have purchased guns before WWII and fought back then.
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chiefr: 30055827654683/comments/30055887543451
Maybe they will change their voting habits so they can keep their guns.
AMEN
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I don't know many Jews, but they are all liberal democrats in favor of about any gun control law which comes along. So they appreciate the second amendment to the Constitution when it suits them but try to abolish it when it does not?
Anyone anti-gun should not be allowed to legally own a gun. They made their bed, now they can lay in it.
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We're all children of Abraham.
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kannoneer: 30055827654683/comments/30055889997083
I don't know many Jews, but they are all liberal democrats in favor of about any gun control law which comes along. So they appreciate the second amendment to the Constitution when it suits them but try to abolish it when it does not?
Anyone anti-gun should not be allowed to legally own a gun. They made their bed, now they can lay in it.
If you don't know many, then how can you make the statement that they are all liberal... I'd bet we have members that are and or do know some and they would disagree, I know that I do!
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[So they appreciate the second amendment to the Constitution when it suits them but try to abolish it when it does not?]
Well there's a lot of people like that. Some right here on this site I'm thinkin'. You know the ones, "I believe in the second amendment......BUT......"
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Fudds come in many varieties.
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I hope they do arm themselves... Maybe the young woman in Detroit would still be living...
We live in a scary world and it doesn't matter who you are. You had better wake up.
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Lady Rae: 30055827654683/comments/30055877093403
I hope they do arm themselves... Maybe the young woman in Detroit would still be living...
We live in a scary world and it doesn't matter who you are. You had better wake up.
"you had better wake up"
Truer words were never spoken!
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They should buy guns and stop voting democrap. lying biden is proof enough not to mention all the commies and muslims in congress.
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I agree they should buy guns. But keep in mind, Islam hates Christians and non Muslims just as much as they hate Jews.
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I told my Sister Monday, traveling to and from my Mom's burial at the VA, that She should be carrying, now especially. I had my CCW and a reload on me. (And) I told her why.
She agreed.
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The owner of the gun shop I worked at, 25 some years ago was Jewish. He had relative working there that was AWOL from his mandatory service in Israel. Wonder what happened to that guy. I didn't have a very high opinion of him.
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My Ex, was Jewish. I taught Her how to shoot, w/a Browning Buck Mark Micro. I explained, (we lived rural) if someone is trying to bust the door down, calling 911 has little improvement/effect, as to the outcome.
She finally got it. The rest of her extended Family, (all Jewish) were unarmed.
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Of all people, you would think the Jews would appreciate the ability to protect yourself. There used to be, and maybe still is, an outfit called Jews for the Preservation of Gun Ownership, or something like that. I used to listen to their ads 30 years ago on a satellite program called 'The Shootin' Show'. They had their heads screwed on straight about gun ownership.
The show was based down south and hosted by a guy named Johnny Roland, or something similar. I haven't seen the show since the early '90s. Col. Art Alphin, creator/owner of A-Square Ammunition, was a regular contributer to the show with segments from classes on weaponry he taught at West Point. Maybe someone here recalls it.
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Of all people Israel restricting gun ownership of their own people in that zone surrounding them. Kind of like the USA is doing right now, taking them away for the good of the people, that's what they tell us.
Jews should remember WW-2 --and what Hitler did to the population, hey wait, that's going on here also.....maybe people ought to ...."register the firearms" for our own good.😡
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