From the fatal shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum to the shattered glass of Temple Israel in Michigan and many attacks in between, threats posed to the American Jewish community have grown since Hamas carried out its Oct. 7 attacks. Now, more Jewish Americans are taking self-defense into their own hands and firearm ownership in the community is rising.
In a landmark move, the National Rifle Association (NRA) announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Lox & Loaded, an organization aimed at training Jewish Americans in firearm safety and self-defense. The partnership brings together a Second Amendment rights organization and a nonpartisan gun group with members who never thought they would own a firearm.
Lox & Loaded co-founder Gayle Pearlstein, a firearms instructor, met NRA representatives at the 2025 National Shooting Sports Foundation’s annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas. She approached the NRA booth and explained her mission to help Jewish Americans better defend themselves. Eventually, Pearlstein met with NRA CEO Doug Hamlin, who liked the idea and expressed interest in supporting the effort.
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NRA Director of Public Affairs Justin Davis told Fox News Digital that the organization was interested in doing something about the rise in antisemitic attacks across the country. Davis explained that the NRA was looking to work with an organization that “fits hand-in-glove” with its mission, noting Lox & Loaded’s focus on firearms training.
He added that antisemitic attacks in recent years have shown Jewish Americans that “these are not just empty threats anymore, they’re actual threats of violence.”
“The NRA is for everybody, the Second Amendment is for everybody. It’s no secret that when people think of the NRA, they don’t think of the Jewish community because, for a long time, the Jewish community may not have been overly active in the Second Amendment world, but I think they’re recognizing in real time the rising threats that are happening in this world,” Davis told Fox News Digital.
Many members of Lox & Loaded are first-time firearm owners looking to protect themselves, their families and their community. With the new partnership, Lox & Loaded members will have access to the NRA’s training programs, Pearlstein told Fox News Digital.
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Lox & Loaded, which was started in March 2025, has grown to 50 chapters in states across the country. Pearlstein said she started the group in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, which inspired her to help the Jewish community.
“I needed to do something because, as we’ve seen, it happened in Israel, I knew it could happen here,” she said. “So, I thought, instead of sending charity and money to Israel, why don’t I do free lessons?”
Pearlstein then teamed up with the Chicago Jewish Alliance, offering to help those who were interested in arming themselves. She said that once the alliance posted the opportunity on its website, things “blew up” from there, with people who had never touched a firearm or who were anti-firearm suddenly wanting to get trained.
When asked what it takes to help gun skeptics become competent firearm owners, Pearlstein said that instruction is key. As a firearms instructor, she said that she tries to tailor her teaching style to the needs of her clients, making changes if they need more verbal or hands-on instructions.
“I think the instructor needs to be patient. The instructor needs to be open-minded. The instructor needs to be positive and gentle,” she told Fox News Digital.
While Jewish Americans have become increasingly interested in becoming firearm owners, some remain skeptical about whether more guns will actually make them safer. Pearlstein said that when dealing with skeptics, she aims to make it clear to them that firearms are not like what they see on TV and in movies.
“I like to bring it down to a commonsense aspect by using real world situations,” she told Fox News Digital. “The bad guy isn’t going to call you and let you know that they’re coming… When this happens, there’s no notice. It just happens, and you have seconds to react.”
Both Pearlstein and the NRA put an emphasis on training as a key component of being a responsible and effective firearm owner. Pearlstein said Lox & Loaded asks members to train at least once a month to keep their skills sharp.
“Just cause you own a firearm does not mean that you’re proficient with it, so that’s where Lox & Loaded comes in,” she said, underscoring that when facing real-world threats, preparation can make all the difference when seconds matter.
