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 [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.
