On Jan. 15, 2022, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker and three members of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas were held hostage at gunpoint during a religious service. For 11 hours, Rabbi Charlie and his congregants feared for their lives at the hands of an armed and violent antisemite. 

Now, one and a half years later, Cytron-Walker has embraced his position as an advocate for gun control and a leader within the Jewish community. On Sep. 4, 2023, Wake Forest students had the opportunity to have an intimate conversation with Cytron-Walker at the Rosenblatt Family Hillel Lounge about his experience and how it changed his life. 

The dinner, which was organized by Wake Forest Hillel Director Gail Bretan, commenced with small talk and introductions. Cytron-Walker told Wake Forest students about his childhood growing up in Michigan, his travels to Israel to study being a rabbi, the pride he holds for his alma mater the University of Michigan and how much he loves being part of the Jewish community. Cytron-Walker moved to North Carolina in July 2022, and became the Rabbi of Temple Emanual in Winston-Salem. While he shared his stories, students and faculty laughed alongside the Rabbi, enjoying the enormous spread of food.

As we began eating dessert, one of the students asked Cytron-Walker if he would tell us the story, so he bravely recounted the hostage incident.

“I thought I was going to die that day,” Cytron-Walker said.

Students’ jaws dropped and eyes wandered away from the apple crisp to focus on his words. Cytron-Walker started from the beginning — when he let in a man who appeared to be houseless and in need of a place to sleep in the doors of his temple. 

Many people were shocked to discover that Cytron-Walker willingly let the man into the temple. Despite the criticism that this action garnered, Cytron-Walker explained his decision through the lens of religion.

“It is hard to love yourself. It is even harder to love your neighbor, let alone the stranger,” Cytron-Walker said.

Of course Cytron-Walker could not have predicted this man was carrying a gun, but he emphasized that being kind to the wandering stranger is a core value of the Jewish tradition.

“We understand strangers are an unknown quantity, and because they are unknown, they can be dangerous,” Cytron-Walker said. “Our brains are wired to throw caution, but our tradition tells us to love the stranger. It is a hard value to live [by], but we are supposed to try to do that. It is very important to balance safety and security with hospitality and love.”   

After letting the man in the door and offering him tea and a warm place to sit, the gunman took action, flashing his loaded gun to the congregation and threatening them with bombs if they did not help him to supposedly free a woman who was convicted of attempted murder. Cytron-Walker could not address this man’s demands, and as a result, was held hostage.

“He really believed lies about the Jewish community,” Cytron-Walker said. “I want to help people understand how hurtful lies about any community can be because words do get turned into actions.”

Cytron-Walker continued to tell the table that throughout the standoff, the gunman allowed the hostages to call their families, get up to go to the bathroom one by one and even call 9-1-1. Cytron-Walker’s phone was used to call the FBI in an attempt to negotiate with the gunman.

This standoff proceeded all day, during which the gunman realized the things he believed about Jewish people were, in fact, lies. Cytron-Walker told the table how he witnessed the gunman FaceTime his own family, saying goodbye to his young son.

A miracle occurred at the 11th hour, when the gunman took his finger off of the trigger for the first time all day. Cytron-Walker seized the opportunity, throwing a chair at the man and yelling “RUN” — allowing for himself and the other hostages to escape to safety outside of the temple.

“It is easy to be grateful about the situation because everybody survived,” Cytron-Walker said. “I am big on gratitude. I don’t feel like I am living on borrowed time, but I feel that every day is a day to be grateful for.” 

Unbeknownst to Cytron-Walker, the entire world was aware of the hostage situation, with many communities holding prayer services worldwide.

Cytron-Walker began to laugh as he looked around the table and asked, “did you guys attend one?”

The students chuckled and nodded their heads at the irony of the situation.

“Well, I would have done the same thing,” Cytron-Walker said. 

Cytron-Walker became a national hero. That night, from the safety of his home and alongside his family, he watched President Joe Biden announce that he had been trying to get in touch with Cytron-Walker. He had no idea, as his phone remained in FBI custody, and proceeded to call the White House from a different number.

“I think I am the only person in history to just call the White House and actually get on the phone with the president,” Cytron-Walker said.

Since that day, Cytron-Walker has been to the White House multiple times and is an advocate for gun safety and active shooter training, which he claimed saved his life.

“It is surreal that I’ve spoken at different places across the country,” he said. “It’s about helping people understand the balance between security and hospitality. To be able to speak about those kinds of issues and have people listen and care about what I say is humbling.”

Cytron-Walker also expressed his gratitude for the support he received from the community after the incident.

“Imagine if you were in a situation like me, and nobody was there for you,” Cytron-Walker said, as he told the table the importance of reaching out to people during difficult times. “People experience trauma all of the time. They need love and support. If people witness blatant racism, and if people just say nothing instead of affirming it was unjust, people feel alone.”

When asked to expand on building that sense of community and support, Cytron-Walker said, “We have to do what we can to feel that [sense of community] more often. We need to understand the sanctity of human life, and we need to recognize that in each other.” 

As we said our goodbyes and cleaned up the food, the room was pensive, reflecting on the incredible story we had just heard. Cytron-Walker expressed his appreciation for the love he has received in Winston-Salem and reminded us that he will always serve as a resource and confidant.

The table at the Rosenblatt Family Hillel Lounge that night will always remember Cytron-Walker’s story and the kindness with which he treated us. We will strive to create that sense of community at Wake Forest and elsewhere in our lives, and — as Rabbi Charlie said — be grateful for every day.