Lox & Loaded, a Jewish gun-rights group, is conducting firearms-training sessions to help members protect themselves against a surge in antisemitic incidents.

The initiative reflects a growing trend of Jewish communities seeking self-defense capabilities through armed training as hate crimes and threats increase across the U.S.

Training sessions include instruction on how to handle various weapons, such as AR-15 rifles. One such session took place in a remote, wooded area within Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. This specific class lasted four hours [1] and was led by Rabbi Raziel Cohen, who is known as the "Tactical Rabbi."

Organizers said the training is designed to provide members with the skills necessary to defend themselves and their communities. The group focuses on practical application, and safety in the face of targeted violence.

While the Pocono Mountains site is a primary location for these exercises, the organization continues to coordinate training for its members in other areas. The group's efforts align with broader gun-rights advocacy, involving figures such as NRA CEO Doug Hamlin.

Participants in these sessions learn the mechanics of firearm operation and tactical response. The group said these skills are a necessary response to the current security climate facing Jewish individuals.

“Lox & Loaded is conducting firearms-training sessions to help members protect themselves against a surge in antisemitic incidents.”

The rise of organized self-defense training within the Jewish community signals a shift toward individual armament as a supplement to traditional institutional security. By integrating religious leadership, such as Rabbi Raziel Cohen, the movement seeks to normalize firearm ownership as a tool for communal preservation in response to perceived security failures.