Please Be Aware
Pro-Palestinian organization, Within Our Lifetime issued a “Call to Action” to “Flood Airports for Gaza” on January 27th. They specifically called for demonstrations at airport terminals nationwide operating flights run by Israeli airline El Al as well as any airline flying Boeing planes. Remain vigilant and situationally aware if you are traveling, and do not engage with protestors.
Intelligence analysts recently reported that the national threat priorities for 2024 are Election Cycle Threats, Geopolitical Conflicts (Israel/Hamas War and Russia/Ukraine War), Violent Crime/Retail Theft, Domestic Terrorism/Crimes Against Children, and Swatting/Bomb Threats. For Western PA, there were nine threat priorities listed, the third of which was Threats Against the Jewish Community, largely due to the Israel/Hamas War.
On 22 January, the Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team (JCAT) released a bulletin highlighting how overseas conflict could impact the homeland. The bulletin assessed how the conflict in the wake of the October 7, 2023 HAMAS attack could influence foreign terrorist organizations and other groups to carry out attacks within the United States. Please read full bulletin at Responses to Overseas Conflicts May Impact Public Safety Agencies in the Homeland (securecommunitynetwork.com)
Security Matters in the News This Week
- Bomb threat Chicago warning: Feds warn of ‘ongoing bomb threats’ targeting Jewish, government institutions in Illinois, across US -(abc7chicago.com)
- Chicago organization reports record-high antisemitism in 2023 (nbcchicago.com)
- Vagrant in brutal 2019 Hanukkah machete attack still unfit for trial — but DA’s office determined to prosecute (nypost.com)
- Israeli hostage posters at Harvard vandalized with antisemitic messages (cnn.com)
BluePoint Status
As we are back-to-school, please review your current contact lists in BluePoint. If changes are needed, please contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org.
Our BluePoint training video and refresher video are available on YouTube. These are useful for new staff or as a reminder for existing staff.
Security Resources and/or Training
Online Safety & Digital Responsibility
Pittsburgh, PA 15217 United States + Google Map
Open to the Public The Jewish Federation is hosting an evening of discussion about cybersecurity awareness for younger students and their families with Felicia Trovato, Community Outreach Specialist, FBI Pittsburgh. Join a discussion with FBI Pittsburgh about online safety for students in grades 5 through 9. Registration is required. Topics Covered Online Safety & Situation Awareness Cyberbullying Awareness Trusted Adults & Seeking Help Digital Footprint & Permanence Text Message Et...
Emergency Preparedness Webinar
"If it is predictable, it is preventable." ~Gordan Graham Hazards, both manmade and natural, are a concern for all organizations. Establishing an All-Hazards Plan will not only assist in preventing many known threats, it will also provide a roadmap to mitigate these hazards. Continuity of Business Plans are the next step and crucial to direct how to move forward and restore your organization. This Webinar prepares organizations to handle emergencies by building All-Hazards and Continuity of...
Guardian Training
Please contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5252 to schedule this training.
Situational Awareness, Active Threat, and De-Escalation Training
If you or your organization have not yet had these training modules, please contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5252. All can be made available in person or via Zoom.
If you need more Emergency Safety Procedures Flip Charts contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5252.
