After yet another incident, this time at听,听our community is left reeling.听Once again,听when听Jews gather听in our sacred places,听we are听infiltrated by haters. Once again, when we want to develop solidarity with our neighbors,听protesters听arrive to听drive our听communities听apart.听Once again, the Jewish community of our city is beside itself at the tepid response of our elected听officials.听听听

From the streets of New York to the streets of Los Angeles, our Jewish communities are under assault.听Growing听threats听seek听to听disrupt our lives, prevent us from exercising听our constitutional rights, and destroy our indigenous connection to our homeland, Israel.听听

Last June,听after an attack on a peaceful gathering of Jews听at听Adas Torah synagogue,听听urgently calling for more security at our local Jewish institutions, synagogues, and schools.听Nothing has improved and the situation has only become more dire and more urgent.听听听

How long must we wait until these 鈥減rotests鈥� at our houses of worship turn violent and deadly?听What is it going to take for this scourge听to stop?听We must not wait for more violence to act.听The time to act is NOW.听This moment demands more than symbolic gestures and verbal assurances. We do not need more community meetings or social media statements.听We need action and results,听and we need听them听now.听听

At Jewish Federation Los Angeles,听where I serve as President & CEO, we have been actively implementing a听security strategy to protect our community and synagogues.听Our strategy,听led by our听, is built on four听pillars. First is听training,听where we provide, for free, the听latest听safety and security protocols to make sites harder targets.听 Second,听we conduct听physical risk assessments,听where CSI听identifies听key vulnerabilities.听Third, is听information sharing and analysis.听Using our听state-of-the-art听Analysis Center, we听coordinate听information with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,听and听local security organizations 24/7.听听

Fourth,听is听advocacy.听While we appreciate the support of many elected officials, we need听to mobilize our community to demand change to protect our community.听We need real commitments听tied to听measurable outcomes.听I am calling on our Mayor, our City Councilmembers,听and our state representatives听to do more.听听

We鈥檝e听been told many times that existing laws cannot prevent the actions at Wilshire听Boulevard听Temple听or听Adas Torah.听We鈥檝e听been told that there are not enough police to protect Jews in synagogue both here in and New York.听We鈥檝e听been told, by elected officials, that听Jews congregating to explore and celebrate听our听relationship with Israel [untruthfully]听violates international law.听Or,听that听the solution to the question of Jewish safety is听simply听to听sit down in dialogue to听鈥渉ear the other side.鈥澨鼺orcing us to listen to the demands of those who want to use violence against us is听abusive.听It鈥檚听blaming Jews for being Jewish.听

Protecting our community is foundational to听Jews听feeling听safe enough to express听our First Amendment rights,听like听everybody else听in America. Through our four pillars, we are implementing expert-vetted strategies that work,听but we can no longer听go听it alone.听We need help and we need it NOW.听听

We must not wait until dead Jews start lining our streets.听听

Rabbi Noah Farkas is President & CEO, Jewish Federation Los Angeles