The Chief Rabbi of the Israel Police penned an open letter on Tuesday addressed to rabbis throughout Israel urging them to advise their congregants to carry legal and licensed firearms on Shabbat.“In deliberation with prominent rabbis and on the recommendation of relevant police authorities, I appeal to the rabbis of Israel to instruct their communities that everyone who has a license to carry a firearm should carry that firearm with them on Shabbat, especially during prayer times in the synagogues,” he said.“May the verse be fulfilled through us: ‘The Lord shall grant strength to His people; the Lord shall bless His people with peace,’” he ended.

There continues to be debate on this subject in the United States. Orthodox synagogues now often have members who come armed. That’s often not the case with more liberal congregations. After a number of alt-right terror attacks on synagogues in the United States, that’s unfortunate. Some people say that they’re uncomfortable in synagogues with armed congregants, I’m uncomfortable in synagogues without them.Israel’s new conservative government is pushing to get as many civilians armed as possible.Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir vowed on Tuesday to push through a fivefold increase in weapon permits in the wake of last month’s Palestinian terrorist attack that killed seven people at a synagogue in Jerusalem.Ben-Gvir has directed the Firearms Licensing Department to increase the number of new permits issued from roughly 2,000 to 10,000 per month, according to a statement from his Otzma Yehudit Party.