One of the things that has become clear coming out of the October 7th pogrom is that the national security apparatus can no longer be relied on to defend communities across Israel. This is not meant to be disparaging towards the IDF soldiers, but rather a very real assessment of one of the big security failures that took place near Gaza.

In communities across Judea and Samaria, civilian first response teams have been around for decades. Most of these civilian teams are well trained and relied upon by the community instead of the army. In case of an emergency like a terrorist infiltration, this team provides the bulk of the response allowing the army to focus its resources elsewhere if needed. Without these first response teams, the army is forced to spend more time within the community instead of providing security outside of it and/or hunting the terrorists and striking back.

In the wake of October 7th, this same model is beginning to take hold within communities and cities across Israel. Jerusalem has very dedicated border police, but they cannot be in every place. No more is this apparent than in the Shiloach and Kidmat Tzion – two neighborhoods Southeast of the Old City and occupied by many criminally active Arab terrorists.

There have already been countless attacks on many of the Jews that live in these neighborhoods and although the border police do an amazing job as well as the private security company hired to be there – it is not enough.

These neighborhoods are finally putting together their own first response teams to defend against Arab terror that has already plagued these neighborhoods. This will not only create more civilian led security, but it will take the pressure off the police and border police to do the job they want to do and that is crush Arab terror.

In many ways, not much has changed in the Land of Israel. In the time of the British, Jews throughout the Land as well as in Jerusalem formed their own security teams – the same is needed today – despite the existence of National Army and Security Force.

With this change in security concept, neighborhoods in areas now occupied Arab thugs and terrorists, Jews need help from their fellow Jews and others to build the kind of first response teams necessary. Helmets, ceramic vests, pepper spray and even conversion kits for pistols are needed and they are needed now. While the army is fighting valiantly in Gaza, our home front needs everyone to help preserve it and make sure the next attack can be repelled when it starts.