If I Were a Jew, This Is How I Would Invest in Personal Defense
If I Were a Jew, This Is How I Would Invest in Personal Defense
Educate yourself before you panic buy.
A note from Peter Gietl, managing editor of RETURN at Blaze Media, who was kind enough to review this article and offer this introduction:
I was honored when my friend Josh Centers asked me to write an introduction to this Jewish beginners guide to firearms. The info is not only for Jewish gun owners, but it’s a wonderful wonderful collection of solid advice and practical information for people looking to purchase a gun.
Unfortunately our history is filled with times when we were in danger for simply being Jews. There's the old joke about every holiday being distilled to, "They tried to kill us, they failed, let's eat."
Sadly we are facing another time of uncertainty, when antisemitism is being openly expressed and Jewish college students are barricading themselves from mobs.
If you or someone you know is concerned about your family's safety, investing in a firearm is a logical impulse. It can seem daunting, but with the excellent advice you'll find in this column and other places online, you can make an informed and safe decision about utilizing our God-given 2nd Amendment rights.
You can take classes from professionals at local shooting ranges to learn the basics. Don't hesitate to ask around at your shul or JCC, there's undoubtedly a growing number in your community who own firearms and will be happy to give you advice or even take you shooting.
Being prepared to defend yourself and your family is imperative to build a vibrant and sustainable Jewish community. Am Yisrael Chai.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to be Jewish, especially in this especially dangerous time. The horrors of the October 7th attack on Israel paved the way for a wave of antisemitism around the world. Perhaps no example has been more extreme or more absurd than an angry mob in Dagestan hunting for Jews on an airplane.
It was like a scene from a Borat movie:
(Sorry buddy, I don’t think you’ll find anyone in the engine.)
I won’t pretend to know what it’s like being Jewish, but I do have a lot of Jewish friends who are rightfully scared out of their minds, and some of them have asked for advice on weapons and firearms.
I’m going to offer a brief rundown of what I would invest in if I were in their shoes.
Your Body
A great quote, “Only a fool trusts his life to a weapon.”
It’s also a quote from a video game, and kind of a stupid one at that. Lots of people trust their lives to weapons, most notably every soldier in the world. Nobody runs out on a battlefield unarmed.
But they also don’t tend to run out on the battlefield out of shape, unable to carry a rucksack, and panting for breath after a mile. The military puts recruits through physical training before they ever hand them a rifle.
As it happens, I’ve been on a fitness journey the past couple of years. I’ve slimmed down from a peak of 250 pounds to a regular average of about 180 and have put on quite a bit of muscle.
I was in such poor shape in the beginning that I was having trouble walking. If I can get in shape, anyone can.
I recommend three days of lifting per week paired with three days of cardio. And I have a simple workout that will get you started. Don’t worry about optimization in the beginning, just worry about doing something.
Also, while your chances of being attacked are statistically tiny, your chances of having cardiovascular disease or mobility issues in your old age are practically guaranteed. Fitness is one of the best investments you can make.
Martial Arts
I can’t speak about martial arts with any sort of authority, but I do think they’re a good investment if you have the time and money, along with a solid baseline of fitness. I once held a purple belt in Wadō-ryū karate, but if I were going to train today, I’d take jiu-jitsu classes.
That said, even if you don’t have an ideal option—the only realistic choice in my area is taekwondo—there’s a great benefit to sparring and actually testing yourself in a fight.
Knowledge only gets you so far. As Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” After that, it’s all about reaction, quick decisions, and your ability to stay cool under pressure.
Whatever you decide to train in, you want to be in a gym or dojo where you get actual full-contact sparring. For most people, the actual style doesn’t matter as much as knowing how to handle yourself in a fight.
Being that this is a guide aimed at Jews, I should probably mention Krav Maga. I don’t have a strong opinion on it, but it’s fairly controversial in the martial arts world because many believe it sets unrealistic expectations. That said, if you have any kind of real-world training, you’re going to be much more effective than someone with none.
It’s important to be realistic. All the training in the world doesn’t matter if someone shoots you from across the street or slips a knife into your ribcage. Physical conditioning and martial arts are merely tools in your kit, but important ones.
Pepper Spray
If you’re leery of guns, pepper spray is a good fallback. Even if you’re not leery of guns, there are many places where you can’t carry them. I’ve previous written about the many benefits of pepper spray, but it’s cheap, fairy low risk, and high effective.
I like POM pepper spray. It’s cheap, the can is small, it has a simple but effective safety system, and it’s one of the strongest options on the market. I carry it everywhere except on planes.
First Aid
Before we move to firearms, I want to take a second to mention the importance of first aid in your personal defense toolkit. “Make holes, stop holes, plug holes.” Invest in a good first aid kit and try to get some medical training. The Red Cross offers some basic courses, and larger gun stores often offer trauma classes.
At minimum, carry a tourniquet, which is a life-saver in the case of major limb bleeds.
Glock 19
Moving to firearms for self-defense, if you can only have one (and that’s probably all you need), I think the Glock 19 is the one to own.
I’ve often lamented that Glocks aren’t very “fun,” but who cares about that? Fact is: the majority of people who shoot pistols professionally trust Glock. They’re incredibly popular, which means parts are common, they’re easy to get serviced, and firearm instructors know them in and out.
I offer many recommendations in the above post, but I advise going to a gun store, getting professional advice, and signing up for training if you’ve never handled a pistol before. Just tell them what you want and why you’re there: most gun store guys are Boomercons who love Israel and will be more than happy to help you out.
You should also read this post on gun safety:
AR-15
I have yet to do a detailed post on the AR-15, but when I saw the pictures and videos of Hamas zipping into Israel on paragliders, I resolved to never apologize for owning them. While the AR-15 is highly controversial due to its use in high-profile mass shootings, handguns are far more dangerous.
In the unlikely event that terrorists fly into the Tennessee backcountry on paragliders, an AR-15 with a red dot sight is what I would reach for. Moving targets are hard to hit, especially when they’re in the air, so you’re going to need to be able to shoot fast and place follow-up shots. That’s where semi-auto and a 30-round magazine are going to be key.
I’ll offer some quick picks. You can spend a lot of money on a nice Daniel Defense AR, but I don’t think you need to. Save money for ammo and magazines.
Palmetto State Armory makes perfectly serviceable rifles for a good price—I’ve even seen reports that they’ve been used in Ukraine. Just check their daily deals and pick a complete rifle—make sure it’s not a kit. Also make sure it shoots 5.56 NATO.
You can often score an AR-15 from PSA for around $400. You’ll also want a red dot sight. Again, you can spend a fortune on these, but a Sig Sauer Romeo 5 is a great cheap option. Invest the money you save on the rifle and optic into ammo and as many magazines as you can store.
If you buy a gun online, you can’t just have it shipped to your door. You’ll have to have it shipped to an FFL, who in turn charges you a nominal fee to run the mandatory background check and handle the paperwork.
I recommend calling around to see what your local FFL fees are. Some can be very cheap—as low as $15 for guys who run a business from their home—while some gun stores charge excessive fees to discourage online shopping.
Whichever FFL you pick, you want to call ahead before you order to make sure that they’re accepting deliveries and to know to expect one.
There’s a lot more that should be said on the topic of AR-15s, but like I said, these are quick picks. If you buy one, be sure to learn how to clean and maintain it. ARs like to run clean and “wet” with lots of lubricant. A good CLP (short for clean, lube, protect) is essential.
Some states, most notably California and New York, place severe restrictions on the AR-15. In that case, I would opt for the Ruger Mini-14, which is effectively the same thing, just in a more traditional rifle package.
What about Armor?
I want to write a lot more about armor, but long story short: for most people it’s a waste of money. Realistically, you’re not going to wear it regularly because it’s cumbersome and heavy. The more-concealable vests are only effective against small arms fire, and they’re still cumbersome (not to mention expensive). Plate carriers paired with Level IV ceramic plates are highly effective, but impossible to effectively conceal. You’re going to look like a lunatic if you go grocery shopping dressed like Rambo.
Even in a combat situation, armor isn’t always optimal because it slows you down and reduces your mobility.
A plate carrier makes a lot of sense if you’re in a war zone. My advice is to try to avoid those if you can.
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