Please Be Aware
On March 7, FBI Portland (Oregon) arrested a local man on federal Hate Crime charges for defacing Temple Beth Israel in Eugene, Oregon. This is a reminder of the importance of reporting antisemitic graffiti, vandalism and property crimes. This case reinforces the importance of community collaboration as well as the priority need for target-hardening tools such as security cameras and access control systems at our Jewish locations.
Data provided by the Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) shows that in just one year, antisemitic comments on TikTok rose 912%. New legislation, Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, has been introduced to put pressure on platforms like TikTok. If you would like to learn more, visit TikTok Bill Toolkit – Google Docs.
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.
Security Matters in the News This Week
- Synagogue bomb threat is dramatized in Oscars ad against antisemitism by Robert Kraft (jpost.com)
- Teaneck Law Enforcement Wrangles Pro-Palestinian Mob (jewishlink.news)
- Eugene man charged with federal hate crime for defacing local synagogue (nbc16.com)
- Chesterfield man accused of hate crime in vandalization of church, Asian restaurant (ksdk.com)
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
Dave Wright Defensive Tactics Training (Women only)
Pittsburgh, PA 15217 United States + Google Map
Women Exclusive Training Join with other women to learn and practice techniques to avoid potential dangers and protect yourself and others when necessary. Topics Covered Situational awareness and survival mindset Basic self-defense techniques Weapons awareness and disarming techniques Reality-based 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.
Request Training for Your Organization →
If you need more Emergency Safety Procedures Flip Charts contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5252.
