As antisemitism surges, Minnesota Jews turn to the gun range for sense of safety

New data from the American Jewish Committee shows a strong surge in antisemitism across America. As it's happening, Jews in Minnesota are turning somewhere they typically haven't before — the gun range.

In its 2025 State of Antisemitism in America Report, the AJC says 9 of 10 Jews in America reported feeling less safe, and nearly 1 in 3 Jews in America were the target of antisemitic incidents.

More than half of American Jews have changed their behavior in some way, according to the report.

This is evident the second Tuesday of every month at Eagan's Stock and Barrel gun club. There, for the last two months, dozens of Jews have met as part of Minnesota's newest gun club — an all-Jewish group called Lox and Loaded.

Lox and Loaded's Minnesota chapter is part of a larger, growing, national organization that now has 43 active chapters in 20 states. More than 1,000 Jews nationally belong to the organization.

The founder of the Minnesota chapter is admittedly not the "typical" face of guns.

"I'm 4-foot-11," joked Leslie Chudnoff. "When I first started shooting, I had to have instructor stand behind me and put his hands on my shoulders, because the first time I pulled the trigger, the recoil literally knocked me back off my feet."

Chudnoff, a retired librarian, started trap shooting years ago. She says because of rules against hunting for sport within Judaism, along with Kosher rules for consuming meat, many Jews never get into hunting. For that reason, she says, many never get into guns.

While shooting recently, however, she said her instructor told her several of his new clients were Jewish Minnesotans, who came to the club out of fear.

"(He said) they're all Jewish, they're all very concerned," Chudnoff said. "They've never held guns before, they've never considered owning a gun, they felt there was sort of a stigma to it – all the sudden they want to learn how to shoot. They don't just learn how to shoot a gun, they want to learn about gun safety – they want to know about safe storage, they want to know about the laws for owning a gun. They want to know about protecting themselves, because people are scared."

Chudnoff says after some online searching, she discovered Lox and Loaded and quickly organized a Minnesota chapter. At the group's first meeting in January, more than 30 people came.

"I was kind of surprised. I knew we'd have interest. I knew we'd have a good turnout, I knew it'd be good to the community," Chudnoff said. "I'm still getting calls and messages from people, 'I haven't joined yet – is it too late to come?';"

Chudnoff says the group provides many with a personal sense of security, whether members choose to carry each day or not.

"I don't walk around in fear, because I know I can protect myself, but I'm watchful," she said.

Bigger Than Belief

You can listen to or watch Chudnoff's full story on "Bigger Than Belief," a WCCO podcast hosted by Adam Duxter. "Bigger Than Belief" is a weekly, interfaith podcast that examines belief through the personal stories of believers – with a goal of discussing faith in a way that is relevant, true and easy to understand.

You can find new episodes of "Bigger Than Belief" each week wherever you get your podcasts, or on WCCO's Youtube page.