Hollywood Jewish Community 'Horrified' by LA Synagogue Violence: 'We Must Mobilize'

Jewish residents of Hollywood are mobilizing in response to the “horrific” anti-Israel protest at a nearby Los Angeles synagogue.

Violence broke out Sunday outside the Adas Torah Synagogue in the 9000 block of Pico Boulevard as anti-Israel agitators clashed with pro-Israel supporters during a protest. While California leaders condemned the violence, Jewish members of the entertainment industry said it was not enough to keep them safe.

“I was horrified to see the events unfold in professional focus groups and just a few minutes' drive from my home,” said “Pulp Fiction” producer Lawrence Bender. says Variety.

He continued: “As a Jew, I have always felt safe and part of a large, protected community here in Los Angeles, especially in Hollywood. Obviously, things changed drastically between Saturday and Sunday. Not only local police and government need to completely change their policies. policy to help, but we must mobilize quickly to protect ourselves. »

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Others in the article shared Benders' sentiment, including WME agent Robert Newman, who called the protest “unspeakably horrifying and frightening.”

“It's like Charlottesville every day. And from their actions, it's clear that these violent anti-Israel groups feel even more emboldened and justified to threaten and attack Jews anytime and anywhere , in schools, restaurants, subways, hospitals, Holocaust museums, synagogues, in their neighborhoods and in their homes,” Newman said.

Some also condemned the lack of response from local police, with only one arrest reported during the protest, although investigations were ongoing. While insiders have reported plans for the Anti-Defamation League to hold a briefing with the LAPD on the entertainment community's concerns, other Jewish residents believe they are on their own .

“In the last 12:15 hours, there's been a lot of talk about self-arming and starting our own neighborhood watch groups and starting our own self-funded groups,” one “well-known figure told Variety. connected industry”. “This industry is now mobilized because we are so united and such a powerful voting bloc.”

Director Jonathan Jakubowicz suggested he might even leave Los Angeles after moving to that city to escape anti-Semitism in Venezuela.

“The Jewish community has done a good job protecting itself, but the level of violence continues to grow, and I don't know how long we can continue on our own without help from the authorities,” Jakubowicz said.

Meanwhile, William Schmidt, consulting producer for “Tulsa King,” called on more members of the Jewish community to stop being “passive” and start speaking out against violence, according to the trade publication.

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“I am disheartened and disgraced by the silence on these events from Jewish entertainment professionals, from powerful and wealthy showrunners, for example,” Schmidt said. “We're a powerful, wealthy group and we haven't done anything to get the guilds to allow us to have Jewish affinity groups. It's a big deal.”

In a comment on Fox News Digital, LAPD Captain Kelly Muniz said: “Yesterday, Chief [Dominic] Choi and other leaders from across the state of California met to hear concerns and develop solutions with the Pico-Robertson area Jewish community. »

“The Los Angeles Police Department will continue to meet with stakeholders in the Jewish community to improve our relationships at a time when many members of this community do not feel safe. Public safety for all is a top priority for the Los Angeles Police Department,” Muniz said. said.

Sunday's violence comes more than eight months after the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, in which Hamas and other Palestinians killed 1,200 people and took hundreds more hostage.

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Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report.