August 10, 2026 — on Expedited Bill 23-26
RE: Letter of Support / Statement in Solidarity with Rabbi J. Menashe Shapiro, the Silver Spring Jewish Center, and the Department of Justice Challenges to Expedited Bill 23-26
As a licensed concealed carry permit holder, a Second Amendment supporter, a lifelong resident of Montgomery County and a candidate for County Executive, I submit this statement of support for the legal challenges brought against Expedited Bill 23-26. My core priorities directly align with guaranteeing the safety, religious liberties, and constitutional freedoms of Montgomery County’s Jewish community.
I. The Reality of Rising, Violent Antisemitism in Montgomery County
Houses of worship, particularly synagogues, are documented targets for violence. According to data from the FBI and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Jewish community is frequently the most targeted religious group for hate crimes in the United States. In Montgomery County, this threat is local, severe, and measurable:
- Targeted Vandalism & Assault: We have witnessed antisemitic graffiti and swastikas on religious signage in Olney and Bethesda, alongside physical assaults and attempted break-ins at the Silver Spring Jewish Center.
- Disproportionate Targeting: The scope of the problem is massive. According to the ADL’s most recent audit, Montgomery County accounts for approximately two thirds of all antisemitic incidents in Maryland, with 120 reported cases in 2025 alone. Maryland ranked ninth among all states in antisemitic incidents with 181 reported cases in 2025. This means about one antisemitic incident occurred in our county every three days.
- Escalating Trends: For the first four months of 2026 (ending April 30), 35 of the 76 anti-bias/hate incidents reported to police involved Jewish people (46 percent), and more than one-third of those incidents were inside public schools. In stark contrast, during the last six months of 2022, there were 69 total incidents countywide—only eight were in schools and 25 were anti-Jewish. Police data confirms that in every year since 2022, antisemitic acts have topped all other hate categories.
These are not abstract statistics. They represent our estimated 105,000 Jewish residents, students, and families who are experiencing real, active harm. Regardless of the exact baseline, antisemitism is an existential concern for Montgomery County residents, and they are sure to put it on the agenda of the county’s next generation of leaders.
II. The Flawed Logic of Expedited Bill 23-26
Yet, instead of prioritizing the safety of one of its most targeted communities, the Montgomery County Council passed Expedited Bill 23-26. This law bans even licensed wear-and-carry permit holders from carrying firearms in or within 100 yards of “places of public assembly,” explicitly including places of worship.
Designating synagogues as “Sensitive Places” effectively turns them into soft targets. An individual intent on inflicting maximum physical and emotional harm will completely ignore a regulatory designation; in fact, that individual welcomes it, knowing he will meet minimal resistance. This law dilutes, if not eliminates, the ability of Jewish people to protect themselves during their most vulnerable moments—such as the walk from a car to a synagogue door. To force Montgomery County’s Jewish residents into becoming helpless targets of attacks, especially in a county that prides itself on diversity, is unconscionable.
III. Infringement on Religious Autonomy and Community Security
I strongly oppose the inclusion of houses of worship within the definition of “places of public assembly.” This classification is inappropriate, unnecessary, and infringes on the longstanding rights of clergy and congregational leadership to determine how best to safeguard their communities.
Houses of worship are sacred spaces governed by religious leadership. They are not public stadiums or concert halls. Synagogues are forced to massively increase their security budgets. However, professional armed guards are enormously expensive. No organization has the resources to post enough hired guards at every daily minyan, program, and service. As a result, it is only right to authorize congregations to allow members – trained to the State’s standards and permitted to carry firearms – to protect our brothers and sisters by standing between them and those who wish us harm. Clergy and congregations must retain the freedom to determine whether security is provided by trained congregants, volunteers, or hired professionals. The government should not dictate which trained personnel may or may not provide security within a sanctuary.
IV. Policy Contradictions and Fiscal Transparency
The passage of Expedited Bill 23-26 presents a glaring policy contradiction. The county has reacted to the crisis by allocating hundreds of thousands of dollars in security grants to faith institutions. Why allocate taxpayer funds to secure houses of worship if the County then turns around and disarms the Congregation?
Furthermore, because the original unlawful restrictions (Bill 21-22E) were actively enforced for nearly four years before being struck down by the Maryland Supreme Court, the constitutional rights of law-abiding residents were actively violated. Now, with the U.S. Department of Justice filing its own lawsuit within a week of this bill’s passage, taxpayers are stuck funding an expensive, unnecessary legal battle. We have no idea how much money this ideological overreach will cost Montgomery County residents.
V. Conclusion
As County Executive, I will fight rising antisemitism directly, support security funding for places of worship, and enable congregations to use their own members – trained to the State’s standards – to protect themselves.
The lawsuit brought by Rabbi Shapiro and the Silver Spring Jewish Center is a vital stand for public safety and religious autonomy. I urge the Council to repeal Expedited Bill 23-26, an unnecessary and unconstitutional law, and return the right of self-defense to all Jewish and other faith communities.
Respectfully submitted, Esther Wells, Candidate for Montgomery County Executive
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