Bexley is an upper-middle-class enclave in Columbus, Ohio, where many, if not most, of the area’s Jewry lives. There are four synagogues on Broad Street, the busy thoroughfare that runs through it: two Orthodox, one Conservative and one Reform. On any given Saturday morning, observant Jewish residents can be seen walking on the sidewalks of Broad Street to synagogue. Given where they live, Bexley Jews are empirically successful and “well-off” financially. This, according to some, qualifies them as being considered “white.”
Assigning the adjective “white” as a pejorative to Jews is currently in vogue, especially among pundits on the left. Books such as Karen Brodkin’s How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says About Race in America and articles such as Dave Schechter’s “Are Jews White? Yes and No” opine on the subject.
Count me as one who would also assign the adjective “white” to describe some of the Jews walking on to shul Broad Street, though not for the same reasons.
What do I mean?
In my capacity as a volunteer shomer/“security” guard at one of these synagogues, I’m stationed in a place that provides a view of Broad Street, at least two blocks in length. Despite calls advocating for self-protection and situational awareness in a time of rising antisemitism, the reality is that in far too many places, Jews do not pay attention to their surroundings. Instead, nice folks display zero situational awareness, despite cars driving in both directions on a busy street with the very real possibility of unanticipated “drive-by” attacks.
What makes these Jews “white”?
According to the “Cooper Color Code,” which rates levels of situational awareness, that is the color assigned to individuals who pay virtually no attention to their surroundings.
Developed in the 1970s by Jeff Cooper, a U.S. Marine and an expert in the use of firearms, it was originally created as a tool to help military and law-enforcement personnel understand and manage their awareness levels. Since then, it has become a key component in teaching situational awareness as a part of both armed and unarmed self-defense educational programs.
The code posits five conditions of awareness/preparedness, each assigned a color:
• The first is white. White represents complete unawareness and unpreparedness. A person in that condition is not paying attention to his or her surroundings and therefore probably not prepared to respond to any potential threat. Being focused on one’s cellphone or daydreaming are prime examples—as is walking casually on a busy street wearing a kippah and tallit—and not even occasionally turning one’s head to observe cars going by. Condition white is fine when at home, sitting in one’s living room or study, or at the Shabbat dinner table with the doors and windows securely locked. It is not fine when walking down a main thoroughfare and being readily identified as “Jewish.”
• The next condition is yellow. This indicates a state of “relaxed” awareness. A person who is in this condition is aware of his or her surroundings and is prepared to respond if necessary. One example would be walking to or from cars in a parking lot. Staying in “yellow” makes a person more inclined to notice potential threats, giving more time to react. It is recommended that a person stay in this condition whenever he or she is outside one’s home or any other secure space.
• Condition orange is when there is a heightened alertness. This occurs when sensing a specific potential and immediate threat—something unusual warrants more of one’s focused attention. You may notice a person behaving in a suspicious way, which causes increased vigilance and planned responses on your part. A person can remain in condition orange for a long period of time, though it can be physically and mentally draining.
• Facing a direct threat means the situation is a condition red. The threat has been identified, and the response is one of focused alertness and a clear plan of action. This may mean escape, a call for help, the use of physical force (armed or unarmed), or possibly all three. Essentially, condition red signals the time for action—whatever action may be best for the individual, given the circumstances.
There is also an additional level, black, which represents being overwhelmed by panic and stress caused by a physical attack and an accompanying inability to respond effectively. To be sure, it is not surprising that a sudden physical attack on individuals who are perpetually in condition white will cause their condition to immediately change to black, making them unable to help themselves or others. Practicing stress-management techniques, as well as training to be prepared and remain calm under pressure, can help avoid a situation deteriorating into condition black.
Regular training for maintaining situational awareness is essential for the code to be most effective. These include self-defense classes (e.g., Krav Maga and other forms of martial arts, training in the use of canes/walking sticks, knives, firearms, etc.), situational drills and awareness exercises. Still, training is only effective when a person is mentally and physically prepared, and so mindfulness and physical fitness are highly recommended to reinforce overall readiness. Stress management and resilience training can help ensure an effective response to an emergency and avoid the dangerous paralysis of condition black.
There is a Jewish posting on social media that says: “We don’t have a choice on whether or not we’re a target. But we do have a choice as to whether or not we’ll be a victim.”
For too long, conventional wisdom among American Jews has been that it’s their fate to be victims. For too long, American Jews have eschewed the ability to choose differently. Perhaps victimhood as a default position has contributed to our “white”-ness.
But recent events—beginning with the mass shooting at the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018, another shooting six months later at Chabad of Poway, Calif., and culminating in the mass-casualty terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023—have given the extended Jewish community clear signals that it cannot wallow in victimhood any longer, and that remaining “white” can and will be hazardous to their individual and collective health.
From a practical perspective, adopting Jeff Cooper’s code into our daily routine is advisable. In other words, it is time that “white” Jews in America become Jews of “color.”
From a religious perspective, adhering to this code is a useful aid that can be viewed as reminiscent of the covenant given at Sinai, part of which commands: Rak hee-shamair l’kha u-shmor nafshekha … “Be sure to take utmost care, and guard yourself scrupulously … ” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
