The U.S. State Department dispatched an extraordinary diplomatic cable on Wednesday night to nearly all American embassies and consulates worldwide, instructing diplomats to engage the highest echelons of host governments to underscore the critical imperative of safeguarding Jewish communities ahead of the Tishrei High Holidays, according to a diplomatic document obtained by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS).
2+The internal document instructs U.S. diplomatic missions to provide local authorities with foundational briefings on the Jewish High Holidays as well as the upcoming anniversary of the October 7 massacre, which took place on the holiday of Simchat Torah in 2023. State Department officials noted that recent years have witnessed an alarming pattern of terror attacks globally timed around or during Jewish religious festivals, urging foreign partners to proactively prepare for potential threats during this sensitive window. According to the cable, Washington called on foreign governments to deploy “law enforcement forces, counter-terrorism units, or military elements, as appropriate” around synagogues, prayer assemblies, and holiday gathering venues.
2+The American directive emphasizes that security cordons must extend far beyond the physical premises of synagogues. The cable outlines the necessity of securing residential sectors within Jewish neighborhoods where congregants walk predictable routes at set times, often wearing traditional clothing that clearly identifies them as Jewish. Furthermore, host governments were urged to intensify armed patrols in crowded commercial districts and public spaces where community members assemble during the holiday season.
The State Department also asked foreign leaders to conduct advance security consultations and establish active liaison channels between national security agencies, Jewish community leadership, private security firms, and community-affiliated businesses to ensure rapid coordination in the event of an imminent alert.
2+A key operational challenge highlighted in the cable is the difficulty of issuing real-time emergency notifications to Shomer Shabbat and holiday-observant Jews. Because religiously observant Jews refrain from using smartphones, radios, or electronic devices over the holidays, the State Department urged governments to develop bespoke mechanisms—such as physical sirens or dedicated patrols—to deliver direct warnings during sudden security emergencies.
This issue carries added urgency this year: Rosh Hashanah, observed over two consecutive days, begins at sunset on Friday, September 11, coinciding directly with the entry of Shabbat, and concludes after nightfall on Sunday, September 13. This creates an extended three-day period during which large segments of the observant Jewish population will be entirely disconnected from conventional electronic media and automated emergency alert systems. Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, declined to comment on the cable when contacted by JNS. However, a source familiar with the process noted that a similar urgent directive was circulated in late March ahead of the Passover holiday.