Tag: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services

Passing the parking lot of Beth El Congregation in Harrisonburg, when you see a city police car parked in the closest spot to the street, it’s not a random occurrence. It’s for maximum visibility as part of a state-funded program to tighten security at the city’s Jewish and Islamic places of worship – a response to dangers posed by religious hatred nationwide and globally, especially since the Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.