Rabbi Yossi Eilfort of Los Angeles is a NRA-licensed instructor and founder of Magen Am (translated “Nation’s Shield”), which describes itself as “the only Jewish, non-profit organization licensed to provide physical, armed security services on the West Coast of the United States.”
As seen in the NRA produced video below, Rabbi Yossi says the mission of the organization is to train and empower Jewish communities, and since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, the Jewish-American organization has seen a staggering increase in calls. (Magen reports that it received 950 calls last year; this year more than 1200 calls have come in.)
News outlets including CNN report that since October 7 and the increase of anti-Semitic attacks in the U.S., gun sales among Jewish communities have also increased.
While private training sessions are available at Magen Am, group instructions including ‘Women’s Pistol 101’ are also available. As one female client said, “It was fun. It was a great experience, it really was.” She added: “We’re ready to protect ourselves and do what needs to be done.”
Magen Am also trains volunteers to get their gun licenses and to provide security in community schools and shuls and “to respond to incidents to support the manned patrol.” Currently, 47 volunteers have gone through the program and are embedded in 13 community schools and shuls.
NRA CEO and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said of Rabbi Yossi: “As an NRA instructor, Rabbi Yossi embodies the Association’s commitment to self-defense and community safety. We are proud to count him as one of the NRA’s 125,000 dedicated instructors.”
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