HOUSTON – Houston Police told KPRC 2 on Tuesday that security is being added to local synagogues and mosques after Iran launched a missile attack on Israel.
KPRC 2 spoke with the Jewish Federation President and CEO, Renee Wizig- Barrios, who said they were already planning on having security since Wednesday starts Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. She said safety, bringing the community together and providing resources, is a priority.
“It’s a very sacred time of year and people really want to have hope for peace and for better times. We have a Jewish community security initiative and our security director alterable leads that we have provided a lot of training to all of our synagogues and help them assess the needs that they have for security. So everyone has made their own security plans, and I believe that they have been made understanding the context of what we’re facing today. So, we think it is very safe for people to go and worship, that they will be protected, that the measures are in place to ensure that that can happen in a peaceful way,” said Wizig-Barrios.
She said the Jewish community has not received direct threats following Tuesday’s bombing in Israel.
“There is no actionable intelligence that anything is going on directly to impact us in the city of Houston. I receive a security alerts literally daily of every Anti-Semitic attack that has happened around the globe. Fortunately, Houston has had some incidents, but we have not had the level of incidents that many other cities have been facing,” said Wizig-Barrios.
KPRC 2 also heard from a delegate and spokesperson for the Iranian American Community in Houston, Donya, Ziraksari:
Dear Houston,
In these challenging times, it is more important than ever for our diverse Houston community to come together with empathy, compassion, and understanding. We are blessed to be home to people of all faiths—Muslim, Jewish, Bahá'í, Christian, and beyond—who contribute to the rich tapestry that makes Houston strong. Let us choose love over hate, peace over violence, and unity over division.
International conflicts must not be allowed to tear apart the bonds we’ve worked so hard to build. Our strength lies in our ability to stand together, to support one another, and to honor the humanity in each person, regardless of their background. Let us be an example of what a truly united community can achieve, rising above the divisions of the world and reaffirming our commitment to peace and solidarity.
Together, we can ensure that Houston remains a beacon of hope, resilience, and love. -Donya Ziraksari