Jenna Ashkenazie
Recently, there has been a significant rise in the number of Jews owning guns. We are generally a peaceful group. However, with the rise of anti-Semitism and concern about the upcoming presidential election, more people are choosing to acquire guns in order to feel more secure, and to defend themselves and their families if needed, Gd forbid.
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in favor of Americans’ right to carry guns in public. This decision impacted many states with stricter gun laws. In New Jersey, for example, in 2021, (the year before the ruling) 631 permits to carry guns were issued. In 2023, the number went up to 19,993, a whopping 3,000 percent increase! Prior to the Supreme Court decision, New Jersey residents seeking permission to carry a gun had to demonstrate they faced “specific threats or previous attacks” that presented a danger to their life. That requirement was struck down.
The number of New Yorkers applying for gun permits rose significantly as well. Last year, the NYPD License Division received 13,369 requests to possess a handgun or rifle at home – an 80 percent increase over the previous year. That’s nearly triple the applications received in 2019. The number of applications to carry concealed weapons in just January and February of this year already surpassed the total for the years 2019-2021 combined.
Community Response to Gun Ownership
According to Mark Abady, co-owner of the shooting range WESHOOT, in Lakewood, New Jersey, “It is important that every person has a plan in order to keep their families safe. To some, that means owning a gun, and learning how to shoot it.” Abady maintains that although owning a gun might not be right for everyone, it can give people a sense of security during these times of animosity and uncertainty. “It [owning a gun] brings control, self-esteem, and confidence.”
John Deloca owns the Seneca Sporting Range in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and has seen a huge spike in customers buying guns and enrolling in classes for people wanting to obtain concealed weapons carry permits. He claims his customers want to arm themselves because they feel unsafe. “People are getting guns because everybody is out of control,” Deloca said. “We’re selling guns like pancakes.”
Has Gun Shooting Practice Gone Mainstream?
Not long ago it would have been a crazy idea to go to the shooting range for a date night. But WESHOOT thinks it’s a great idea. “New Jersey’s friendliest public indoor range” offers a variety of fifty different lessons, “ranging from a simple date night at the range to going through all the training and paperwork to purchase and legally carry a gun.” Customers as young as ten years old are allowed to come shoot a few rounds. They must be accompanied by a legal guardian over 21.WESHOOT even offers a separate class for women.
Covid, October 7th, and the Upcoming Elections
Gun sales climbed nationally during the height of the pandemic. Mark Abady noted that both Covid and October 7th prompted Orthodox Jews to look into gun ownership. He notes, “Covid and October 7th brought a lot of people to train, buy, and conceal guns. About 40 percent of our clients are Orthodox Jews. With elections coming up, more and more people are looking into acquiring guns. The increase in gun ownership has in turn increased the number of WhatsApp group chats concerning guns. People ask questions about different types of guns, the benefits of owning certain kinds of guns, and ask general questions about maintaining guns, or even obtaining a license.”
Increased incidents of anti-Semitism throughout the U.S. have caused extra security precautions throughout the nation – at schools, shuls, Jewish community centers, and in general, buildings that have any sign of servicing the Jewish population. It is no wonder that individuals feel the effects of increased anti-Semitism, and look for ways to protect themselves, including taking self-defense classes, and looking to own a gun. Times of uncertainty naturally cause many to feel heightened anxiety. One response has been to seek protection in the form of firearms. In our community, we know that we are required to do our hishtadlut (make our own efforts) but we recognize that ultimately, our protection comes from Gd.