Rabbi: Jewish School Has Armed Security Guard, Goes Through Lockdown Practices
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CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- Jewish sites across our area are seeing extra patrols by police following the deadly shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
Statistics show that hate crimes are happening more often nationwide. In fact, hate crimes are up by 57 percent. Police are doing their best to combat hate by getting more involved in the community, along with stepping up patrols.
This Monday at Politz Day School in Cherry Hill is unlike any other Monday as it's the first day back to school after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 dead. School administrators are trying to help students cope.
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"What we were trying to do is give them context, help them understand the larger picture of Jewish history," said Rabbi Avraham Glustein.
Glustein is the head of school for children ages 18 months to eighth grade in Cherry Hill. He says police have stepped up patrols, and the school has taken additional measures to make sure everyone is safe.
"We have an armed security guard and we go through lockdown practices and everything that we need to do," said Glustein.
Though Cherry Hill doesn't deal with a lot of hate crimes, Police Chief William Monaghan believes that's a result of being heavily involved in the community.
"It's important to get to know people and it's hard to hate someone that you know," said Monaghan.
But the same can't be said for the rest of New Jersey, according to Gov. Phil Murphy.
"Anti-Semitism is nothing new to us here in New Jersey," said Murphy. "We have seen too much of it of late."
But despite the hate, the rabbi says they will stay resilient.
"One of the purposes we see is that it brought Jewish people in America together. People are looking at going back to synagogue. There is such beauty in that, although we don't understand why and how, we do know there's a reason for it," said Glustein.
There is a gala at the Museum of American Jewish History at 6 p.m. and police are out here making sure everyone is safe.
