Overview

• Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Representative David Kustoff visited Margolin Hebrew Academy, a Jewish school in Memphis that recently thwarted a potential gunman incident, emphasizing the need for strengthened security measures in Jewish institutions in light of ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
• The potential attacker, a former student named Joel Bowman, attempted to infiltrate the school with a gun but was denied entry due to the school's effective security measures, such as metal doors with electronic fob access, security cameras, and an emergency response system.
• Following the foiled attack, Jewish synagogues, schools, and community centers in Memphis and across the country have reportedly increased their security levels, responding to the rise in antisemitic incidents at U.S. schools and universities and the current Israel-Hamas war.
• Margolin Hebrew Academy received $200,000 from the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program and Tennessee's Houses of Worship grant program for its security enhancements, which Kustoff lauded as evidence of the effectiveness of such funding in preventing potential tragedies.
• During their visit, Lee and Kustoff interacted with the students and faculty, emphasizing the importance of voicing support for Israel during the current conflict and discussing the school's robust security measures and other school activities.