Please Be Aware
Several Jewish organizations throughout Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, were targeted with hoax bomb threats this week. Law enforcement is investigating. Please see below article for more information.
April 15 has been designated a Strike for Gaza Day which will include a 21-city Coordinated Economic Blockade to Free Palestine. This effort is calling for the disruption of businesses, “no work, no school, no spending.” This is being held on April 15, Tax Day, to symbolize that tax dollars being collected this tax season are used to support genocide in Gaza. Pittsburgh is not one of the cities named in this event, but Philadelphia is.
The Jewish Federation has launched a Virtual Block Watch Program, a volunteer network that can be called upon to provide residential or business video surveillance footage to help prevent, deter, and possibly solve crimes. The program is entirely voluntary and is designed to keep our community safe through collaborative efforts. We are starting this program in Squirrel Hill and will look to expand it from there. For more information, please visit our Virtual Block Watch page.
Year to date in 2024, the Jewish Federation has logged 86 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. This compares to 29 for the same time period in 2023. 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
- Bomb-sniffing dogs called to synagogue after hoax threat emailed to Pennsylvania Jewish organizations – CBS Philadelphia (cbsnews.com)
- Jewish students at Rutgers speak out in wake of latest anti-Israel incident on campus (foxnews.com)
- Cornell student Patrick Dai pleads guilty to posting violent threats against Jewish students online (nbcnewyork.com)
- Vandals target Waterbury Jewish cemetery, knock 12 gravestones over (nbcconnecticut.com)
BluePoint Status
Please review your current contact lists in BluePoint. If changes are needed, please contact Erin Fagan at [email protected].
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
Navigating Digital Threats: Strategies to Prevent Online Child Exploitation
Ahead of the next school year, please join the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse for a virtual training on preventing and responding to online child exploitation in K-12 communities. This session will feature a panel discussion with experts from the U.S. Department of Justice and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who will share valuable tools and resources to combat online child exploitation and educate teachers, students and families.
Guardian Training
Please contact Erin Fagan at [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] or 412-992-5252.
