This is our last newsletter of 2024. Have a safe and happy holiday season! Thank you for your partnership in keeping our community safe.
Please Be Aware
We are continuing to monitor antisemitic and radicalized behavior on college campuses. We have been collaborating with Pitt which has recently created a working group to address antisemitism on/around campus, see the article below. Just this Tuesday, a George Mason University (GMU) 18-year-old student was arrested for a plot to target and kill Jews. This is now the third GMU student arrested within a month for similar conduct, see the article below.
For awareness, there has been an increase in vandalism in the Squirrel Hill area. The Frick Environmental Center was the latest target with $50,000 in damage to the conservancy’s fleet of vehicles. See the article below.
The Faith-Based Information Sharing Organization has released guidance in securing your social media accounts. You can view the guidance here Securing Your Social Media Accounts – FB-ISAO.
Federal law enforcement and intelligence partners assess that the Jewish community is currently facing an elevated threat landscape during this holiday season, specifically regarding the use of large public gatherings as soft targets, protest and boycott action plans and cyber threats. Please remain situationally aware and have a personal security plan in place. If you need guidance on that, please contact us.
Year to date 2024, the Jewish Federation has logged 282 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. This compares to 295 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
- Vandalism does $50K in damage to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy vehicles in Frick Park (TribLIVE.com)
- Pitt creates working group to address antisemitism on campus and around Pittsburgh (msn.com)
- George Mason freshman, 18, busted for plotting attack on Israel’s NYC consulate — as he was facing possible deportation (nypost.com)
- Hamas vastly inflated Gaza death statistics, study shows (jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com)
- Pittsburgh man ‘idolized’ anti-Jewish violence, tried to join Hezbollah, Justice Department says (JNS.org)
BluePoint Status
Next week, we will begin installation of BluePoint at Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. We now have 22 of our organizations online with BluePoint.
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 Go Bags, Emergency Safety Procedures Flip Charts or medical supplies contact Erin Fagan at [email protected] or 412-992-5252.
