Please Be Aware
We are working closely with Secure Community Network (SCN), which has just announced its “Operation Secure Our Campuses”. This initiative will leverage SCN’s national, regional, and local resources, along with the national network of security professionals, to deploy critical resources to protect Jewish students at colleges and universities, including:
- full-time intelligence analysts dedicated to monitoring campus developments and providing intelligence support;
- assessments of Jewish facilities on campuses;
- direct consultations on physical security and emergency plans and procedures;
- enhanced coordination with law enforcement and public safety officials and centers of Jewish life, including fraternal organizations, religious institutions, and other campus groups.
We are already doing much of this work in Pittsburgh, but it will now be more formalized.
Investigation continues to progress positively into the threatening targeted antisemitic graffiti at Chabad of Squirrel Hill, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and two Squirrel Hill residences. Please know that there are no known threats of violence at this time related to this.
Year to date 2024, the Jewish Federation has logged 193 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. This compares to 180 year to date 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 via the Incident Report Form.
Security Matters in the News This Week
- Colleges Are Rewriting Campus Protest Rules for the Fall Term (wsj.com)
- Manchester man gets 13 years for arson, spray-painting swastikas (app.com)
- Jewish groups launch campus-security campaign as schools face threats of violence with protests set to start new semester (nypost.com)
BluePoint Status
This week we will be working on the installation of BluePoint at JFCS and Weinberg Terrace locations.
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
Ensuring Readiness, Security and Empowerment for the High Holidays
Is your community ready for the High Holidays? Securing Our Space offers practical guidance to strengthen both physical security and personal preparedness. Learn how to implement layered security measures, keep your emergency supplies accessible and empower your community to respond confidently and effectively during an incident. As we approach the High Holidays, proactive planning is essential to ensuring our communities remain safe, welcoming, and prepared. The Secure Community Network (SCN) i...
A Practical Discussion on Physical Security Improvements
Ask the Security Experts Join Secure Community Network for an interactive conversation about today’s most important physical security challenges. Hear practical recommendations from a nationally recognized security expert and leave with strategies you can put into action. PREPARE • PLAN • STRENGTHEN Speakers Debbie Gottlieb Director of Grants Management Secure Community Network Jeffrey Slotnick Founder & President, Setracon
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 Go Bags, Emergency Safety Procedures Flip Charts or medical supplies contact Erin Fagan at efagan@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5252.
