Jerusalem City Hall on Thursday, 9 Cheshvan, released instructions for mispallalim in shuls in the capital. The message was also sent as an alert to smartphones for persons with the municipality app. The instructions also appear on the city’s official website.

· Persons with a gun permit should bring their weapons with them, hidden under one’s clothing on Shabbos and Yomtov.

· A designated person should during the week compile a list of mispallalim who have weapons.

· Armed mispallalim should be seated near the doors in order to respond to an incident should one occur.

· The gabbai should appoint mispallalim that know the regular mispallalim and place them in charge of watching who enters.

· A delegated person should check the shul inside and around the building before mispallalim arrive.

· If and when possible, prevent parking adjacent to the shul.

· On Shabbos and Yomtov, a cellphone on silent must be available in a shul during tefilos to permit calling for assistance if required.

· The mispallalim should be required to remain vigilant on their way to and from shul.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)