Get Your Guns—and Your Schmear—They Are Loxxed & Loaded. New Jewish gun club as Oct. 7 date nears
The group’s New York chapter meetings feature bagels and other Jewish deli treats. Courtesy of Lox & Loaded
The shooting club’s motto is “Never Again Means Being Ready.”
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, a new Jewish-owned and operated shooting club is responding to rising safety concerns with a unique blend of tactical training and traditional Jewish comfort food.
Lox & Loaded, a national member-based club with three thriving New York chapters, offers firearms instruction alongside bagels and schmear to start each session. The club was founded in response to growing fears within the Jewish community, especially following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel and the subsequent surge in antisemitic incidents across the U.S. and beyond.
Ian Friedman, a spokesperson for Lox & Loaded, described the club as “born out of necessity.” The organization emphasizes that it’s not about stoking fear but empowering members with skills to avoid danger, escape threats, and defend themselves when absolutely necessary. Many members come after facing antisemitic threats or feeling overwhelmed by the steady stream of alarming news.
“At the core, people worry about the safety of their children,” Friedman explained. The club also provides a supportive space for members to process these fears and learn together. Friedman himself recently purchased a gun range in Illinois to further the cause of safe firearm training within the community.
Lox & Loaded is breaking stereotypes: it’s not just middle-aged men loading weapons and carbs. Older members, including grandparents in their 80s, are swapping traditional pastimes for workshops and range days focused on self-reliance, safety, and community strength. The club also hosts speakers who share stories of fleeing antisemitism in Europe and Russia, underscoring the real, historical threats Jewish communities have faced.
“There’s a deep fear that history could repeat itself,” said Friedman, referencing the Nazi gun confiscations of the 1930s. For many, the club is a way to ensure “Never Again Means Being Ready.”
Since launching in early summer 2025, Lox & Loaded has rapidly expanded to over 1,000 members in 15 chapters across 10 states, with more chapters opening soon. In New York alone, chapters operate in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties.
The growth reflects a harsh reality: hate crimes against Jews are rising. The NYPD reports that during the first quarter of 2025, 62% of hate crimes in New York City targeted Jewish people, up from 54% the previous year. Nationally, the Anti-Defamation League documented a record 9,354 antisemitic assaults, harassment, and vandalism incidents in 2024—a 5% increase from 2023 and a staggering rise over the past decade.
Lox & Loaded’s mission is clear: to build confidence, promote firearm safety, and unite the community in defense through strength and preparedness.
The timing couldn’t be more urgent. Bomb threats against synagogues around New York during the high holidays and the approaching Oct. 7 anniversary have made the club’s New York chapters busier than ever.
Jay, a Westchester member who preferred to go by his first name only, described how even some traditionally anti-gun Jewish voices are reconsidering their stance. “When threats hit home, the Second Amendment suddenly feels very real,” said the 54-year-old Queens native. For his chapter, recent local synagogue threats made joining the club an obvious choice.
“People thought they were safe, untouchable,” Jay said. “But the hate is right next door. It shook the community to its core.”
Membership dues are $118 annually—a nod to the Jewish symbol for life—and monthly meetups honor the club’s playful name with bagels and perfectly sliced lox kicking off each range day. The communal meal has become a key part of the experience, ensuring that the focus stays on connection as much as defense.
Friedman emphasized that while many members live with fear, the skills and confidence they gain through the club are deeply empowering. “They don’t have to live in fear.”
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