PITTSBURGH — Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh (JFGP) and Community Security Service (CSS) took another step in their partnership to strengthen security for the Jewish community across Greater Pittsburgh. After announcing the planned collaboration earlier in the year, today CSS is again working with the Federation to bring a new advanced volunteer security training this month to local organizations, supplementing the Federation’s established security resources already active in the region.

The additional training comes as anti-Jewish hate crimes remain near record levels. According to FBI data, 1,528 anti-Jewish hate crime incidents were reported in 2025, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all reported religion-based hate crimes nationwide. The 2018 antisemitic attack at the Tree of Life building in Pittsburgh, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, intensified efforts by JFGP and partners like CSS to protect Jewish organizations and events. Against that backdrop, JFGP and CSS will continue to expand coordinated, community-based training programs.

“Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has built an excellent community security program, shaped by hard-won experience and close partnerships with law enforcement,” said Richard Priem, CEO of CSS. “Our community-based security model strengthens that work by empowering the people who know their synagogues and institutions best with professional-grade training. With JFGP’s support, we look forward to expanding our volunteer programs across the region and raising awareness of the security resources already in place.”

Federation’s Community Security Department already provides training, incident reporting, site assessments, a Virtual Block Watch program and grant support across the region. Over the past five years, the department has helped 108 organizations secure more than $5.7 million in state security funding.

CSS volunteers will be trained in professional-grade security best practices as well as to report relevant information that can be shared with JFGP’s community security team, supporting the Federation’s established intelligence program and relationships with law enforcement.

“This partnership with CSS is a meaningful step forward for Jewish community security in our region,” said Eric Kroll, Deputy Director of Community Security at Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. “CSS brings deep experience in training and supporting volunteers nationwide. Pairing that training with the work of the Federation Security Team will allow us to protect more congregations and events and improve the information that helps us stop threats to our community.” 

The Pittsburgh partnership builds on CSS’s national growth, including a partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and a recent expansion in Los Angeles. In 2025, more than 20,000 community members completed CSS training and 6,100 volunteers stood shift to protect 440 synagogues and nearly 100 Jewish events nationwide. CSS volunteer leaders guided teams that jointly completed more than 300,000 guard hours last year.

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About the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh cultivates resources, connects people, and collaborates across the community to live and fulfill Jewish values, working toward a vision of a flourishing Jewish community where everyone feels included, supported, and inspired. Learn more at jewishpgh.org.

About the Community Security Service (CSS)

Community Security Service (CSS) protects Jewish life and the Jewish way of life through professional-grade security training and ongoing support. Thousands of CSS volunteers stand shift every week at synagogues, schools, events and campus organizations, safeguarding over 750,000 community members in 24 states and ensuring Jews can continue to live openly and proudly. Learn more at thecss.org.

Media Contact: Alex Goldstein, 90 West

Email: agoldstein@ninetywest.com