Please Be Aware
This week we saw two attacks on Jewish spaces that reiterate the ongoing need for physical security enhancements at our Jewish organizations. The first incident occurred on May 25th in Toronto in which two gunmen fired shots at a Jewish school, fortunately no one was injured (see article below). The second incident occurred on May 29th in Brooklyn, NY in which a man conducted a vehicular assault at a Jewish School, targeting pedestrians while yelling antisemitic slurs. There were no bollards in place, but fortunately no one was injured. The suspect was arrested based on a neighbor’s video footage of the incident (see article below).
The FBI and DHS have issued a Public Service Announcement (PSA) warning that foreign terrorist organizations and their supporters may target the LGBTQIA+ community during the month of June as it is Pride month. There will be numerous events coming up in the next several weeks so please use situational awareness and report suspicious activity to 911 immediately.
With the uptick in graffiti and antisemitic incidents please consider joining the Jewish Federation’s 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 (this is how the Brooklyn suspect mentioned above was caught). The program is entirely voluntary and is designed to keep our community safe through collaboration. More information can be found on the Virtual Block Watch webpage.
YTD 2024, the Jewish Federation has logged 135 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. This compares to 48 YTD 2023. We remain in a heightened threat environment and are working closely with law enforcement to monitor potential threat activity. Please continue to report any suspicious incidents to us using the below link.
Security Matters in the News This Week
- Watch: Gunmen Open Fire on Chabad Jewish Girls School Shabbos Morning (vinnews.com)
- Brooklyn yeshiva hate crime: Driver arrested, charged after driving onto sidewalk in East Flatbush (abc7ny.com)
- California man, who allegedly said ‘I’m going to kill the Jews,’ faces 10 years in prison (jns.org)
- Cost of protests at City College tops $3M: CUNY officials (audacy.com)
- Elmhurst Teens Charged With Swastika Vandalism: Cops (patch.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
First Quarter Faith-Based Security and Resilience Learning Series
The Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security and partners cordially invite you to attend the first quarterly event of our virtual learning series for faith-based organizations on Monday, March 24, 2025. In this first segment of our series, we will be hearing from Mr. Magnus Hakonsen, a survivor of the deadliest mass shooting in Norway's history. On July 22, 2011, Mr. Hakonsen was attending a political youth camp on the island of Utoya when a lone gunman attacked, killing 69 people and injuring 3...
Advanced Community Active Threat Training (CATT)
Pittsburgh, 15213 + Google Map
This event has been canceled. We apologize for the inconvenience. Feel empowered on campus with this class that teaches: The mind of the active shooter-predator vs. prey Situational awareness and survival mindset Basic self-defense techniques and weapons awareness and disarming techniques Reality based training Led by Dave Wright from Wrights Gym. Geared for college students but open to everyone. MADE POSSIBLE BY LEE AND LISA OLEINICK.
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.
