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Amid Rising Anti-Semitism in the US, Jewish Americans Are Turning to the Second Amendment

Amid rising anti-semitism in the United States, Jewish Americans have begun to turn to the Second Amendment, as the National Rifle Association (NRA) has partnered with Lox and Loaded, to help them learn to defend themselves.

As attacks on synagogues become more frequent and public sentiment toward Judaism and Israel appears to be hardening, many American Jews now feel a greater need to be able to defend themselves.

"In today's world, there is a lot of anti-Semitism," Rabbi Shneur Itzinger said. "Everybody needs to protect themselves. Judaism takes any life-saving precaution very seriously. You always want to have the upper hand so that the people who protect human life, the people who value human life above all, they're the ones calling the shots."

"The Second Amendment is meant for every single American citizen. We're trained on how to safely and securely carry and handle a weapon, and it allows us to protect ourselves, our family," Lox and Loaded co-founder Gayle Peri Stein said. 

"The Jewish community are not soft targets. They're not soft targets in their heart, in their mentality, and the way they live. They need to have that tactical advantage to learn how to defend themselves."

Lox and Loaded is "dedicated to strengthening Jewish communities through responsible firearm ownership, safety education, and structured training." The group has chapters in every state and is continuing grow as more Jewish Americans take their personal safety into their own hands. Founded in 2024, they serve the “Jewish community and our allies who believe in lawful, responsible preparedness and the importance of standing together.”

The turn toward self-defense is yet another reminder of why the Second Amendment remains so important, as it gives individuals, including marginalized communities, a fundamental means of protection when they feel unsafe or unprotected by government institutions.