Rabbis at the Range: Magen Am Offers Second Amendment ‘Summer Camp’

Last week a Maryland rabbi won the ability to carry a firearm in his synagogue, despite Montgomery County’s ban on lawful carry in houses of worship. The injunction granted by a federal judge only applies to the named plaintiffs in the lawsuit, but there’s no shortage of rabbis around the country who want to do the same.

In most states that’s not much of an issue. But even where carry bans aren’t in place, many rabbis are looking for training options, which is where Magen Am steps in. The self-defense organization recently hosted a five-day training class in the hills of southern California, and the Second Amendment summer camp was a big hit with attendees.

Magen Am is a registered nonprofit and California-licensed security company whose stated mission is to train and empower Jewish communities to establish security teams within their own institutions.

The Anti-Defamation League recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents nationwide in 2025, including assaults, harassment and vandalism.

California ranked second in the country with 817 incidents, while the Los Angeles region recorded 419. Although the overall number of incidents in LA declined from 532 in 2024, assaults jumped 22% — the highest number ever recorded locally, according to the ADL.

Eilfort said the organization works with community members, government officials and law enforcement to build security programs, while also offering firearms education to members of the public.

The rabbi-specific program was created after Jewish religious leaders began approaching Eilfort for advice about firearms and security at their houses of worship.

“We’re visibly Jewish and we walk down the street and dozens of rabbis have people yell things at them,” Eilfort said, adding that rabbis have increasingly been targeted with hate speech and protests.

According to Eilfort, an anonymous donor put up enough money for 20 rabbis to attend the five-day training course free of charge, and Magen Am had to turn away nearly as many since they didn’t have room.

While the training took place in California, where Magen Am is headquartered, the participating rabbis hailed from a dozen states. Over the five days the rabbis spent hours on the range, but also took part in stop-the-bleed training, situational awareness exercises, and other classroom exercises.

The waiting list has grown to about 40 rabbis at the moment, and Eilfort told the California Post that he’s hoping Magen Am can host as many as a half-dozen courses next year.

Some rabbis who took part in this year’s training are already gun owners, while others fired their first shots during the course. That includes one Los Angeles-area rabbi who told the California Post he had never touched a gun before.

He said he is still considering whether firearm ownership is right for him and plans to undergo additional training before making that decision.

“I’m still in the journey with it,” he said. “My biggest takeaway is now I know how to use a firearm. God forbid, if it’s a case of an emergency, as a rabbi, I’m prepared.”

He also wrestled with the religious implications of carrying a firearm.

But Jewish law, he said, places a clear emphasis on protecting human life.

“If it’s a matter of life and death, you have to do all that you can to save a life,” he said. “So this could save a life.”

With all due respect to the rabbi, no, you’re not prepared. Not unless you actually have a firearm, anyway. It’s great that you received this training and now know how to use a firearm, but that knowledge is useless in an emergency unless you have a firearm to use.

Since Magen Am has limited resources, my advice would be to offer up a beginner’s course for those rabbis who don’t have any experience with firearms, while saving the more intensive five-day training sessions to those who have already decided on carrying in their synagogue. It’s great that rabbis like the one quoted above are getting the opportunity to learn how to shoot safely and responsibly, but I can’t help but think that there are probably multiple individuals on the waiting list who aren’t on the fence about gun ownership and carrying to defend themselves and their flock.