Please Be Aware

A Jewish resident in Bloomfield has been repeatedly harassed since February for displaying a “We Stand with Israel” yard sign, other similar signs and a small Israeli flag. The incidents include verbal harassment, trespassing and theft. Police are investigating. See article below for more details.

The Hate Crimes Task Force of the New York City Police Department is investigating several reports of antisemitic vandalism at the homes of Brooklyn Museum board members. Five homes, three in Manhattan and two in Brooklyn were vandalized with spatters of red paint and Hamas symbols. See article below for more information.

With the uptick in graffiti and antisemitic incidents please consider joining the Jewish Federation’s Virtual Block Watch Program. The program is entirely voluntary and is designed to keep our community safe through collaboration. More information can be found on our Virtual Block Watch page.

Year to date 2024, the Jewish Federation has logged 146 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. This compares to 74 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

• Pittsburgh woman says people stole Israeli flag, made antisemitic remarks (wtae.com)
• I Went to Cover a Protest. I Was Surrounded by a Mob (thefp.com)
• Vandals deface homes of Brooklyn Museum board members; NYPD probes pattern (nbcnews.com)
• Celebrity stylist Aleksander Janik taken into custody after battering NYC rabbi (nypost.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

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.