Please Be Aware
On Tuesday, Allegheny County Council members voted 9-3 against a resolution urging the federal government to call for a ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war after six hours of hearing public comments. For more information, please read article below.
ISIS media has called for attacks on Christian and Jewish communities and will likely intensify these calls during Ramadan and possibly through Easter and Passover. Historically, ISIS media intensifies calls for violence during Ramadan, which begins this Sunday, March 10th. Foreign terrorist organization rhetoric targeting the US has already been heightened because of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. While ISIS is opposed to Hamas, ISIS leadership has framed the Israel-Hamas war as a broader religious war. ISIS media has suggested synagogues, churches, and large holiday gatherings as potential targets.
So far in 2024, the Jewish Federation has logged 45 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. We remain in a heightened threat environment and are working closely with law enforcement to monitor potential threat activity.
In a national threat briefing held today at 11 AM, the message from the FBI and DOJ to the Jewish community was this:
“We hear you. We share your concern, and our teams and partners are working overtime to protect the Jewish Community. This is not a time for panic, but a time for vigilance. We rely on our partnerships with law enforcement and Jewish community leaders across the country. We encourage the reporting of any and all incidents so that we can be protective and preventative.”
Security Matters in the News This Week
- Allegheny County Council resolution calling for a cease fire between Israel and Hamas voted down – TribLIVE.com
- El Cajon man pleads not guilty to murder charge in deadly dental office shooting – NBC 7 San Diego (nbcsandiego.com)
- Police investigating antisemitic graffiti in Cockeysville – CBS Baltimore (cbsnews.com)
- Retired Methodist pastor draws swastika on Jewish neighbor’s groceries – JNS.org
BluePoint Status
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
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.
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If you need more Emergency Safety Procedures Flip Charts contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5252.
