Israel's national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, has partnered with the US-based Community Security Service to train security volunteers at American synagogues ahead of Rosh Hashanah and the other High Holidays. The initiative reflects growing anxiety within Jewish communities about the possibility of attacks, following a marked rise in antisemitic incidents since the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel and subsequent tensions on US university campuses. Senior paramedic Aryeh Myers said many now regard an attack as "a question of when rather than if."

The sessions, known as "First 7 Minutes" trainings, teach volunteers first aid and how to respond and communicate effectively with emergency services in the crucial minutes before professional responders arrive, drawing on Magen David Adom's experience of mass-casualty incidents in Israel. The report coincides with a separate Anti-Defamation League survey of 307 Jewish teachers' union members, which found widespread antisemitism within US teachers' unions; 70% of respondents said raising concerns about how Jews were treated could carry professional consequences, prompting the ADL to describe the situation as a "structural and cultural failure".