Synagogue Board Torn Between Security, More Diversity Officers

“Heretic!” yelled two of the diversity officers. “Fascist!” yelled another.

Wilmington, December 5 – A clash of values among the the committee elected to oversee a progressive Jewish house of worship has challenged longstanding friendships and assumptions of shared priorities in a membership already riven by the tumultuous politics of the last several years: must the remaining 2023 budget pay for armed guards to protect attendees amid rising violence against Jewish targets in the US, or must the budget first cover the bylaw-mandated four overseers tasked with ensuring an equitable balance of race and gender representation among decision-makers?

Several heated exchanges took place during the most recent board meeting of Temple Beth Bosheth on Sunday afternoon, surrounding the limited resources available for two vital items going into next year, forcing the board to choose between have a safe space and having a safe space.

Membership dues from the High Holiday season failed to meet the projected targets on which the board had based its 2023 budget plans. As it stands, disclosed Treasurer Sam Bankman-Fried, no funds will remain in the Beth Bosheth accounts beyond May if the synagogue pays for both the fourth full-time diversity officer and the security guards. His report sparked fierce debate among the other eight board members and the four current diversity officers. The impending resignation of one of the four created a potential in the budget to hire a security firm, but several board members and two of the diversity officers raised objections, which led to mutual recriminations and accusations of taking members’ safety lightly vs. taking members’ safety lightly.

“There’s a rash of shootings and other violence against synagogues,” argued one board member. “We can solicit donations to cover the diversity officer. Why do we need four, anyway? There’s barely enough work for one.”

“Heretic!” yelled two of the diversity officers. “Fascist!” yelled another board member. “What good does hiring a security guard do if people don’t feel safe once they’re inside? We have a responsibility to ensure all feel welcome. Also, I find the thought of someone with a gun… triggering, as I’m sure many others do. Don’t erase my lived experience!”

Four diversity officers became a stipulation of the bylaws as a result of board election campaigning in 2020; one candidate promised to counter MAGA culture and root out sympathies for fascism by adding to the one diversity officer instituted in 2012 – which led to a competitor vowing to add two such officers, and a third candidate, who eventually emerged victorious, setting a goal of four diversity officers, and made good on Xer campaign promise.

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