Please Be Aware
Clashes broke out in the Borough Park area of NYC on Tuesday evening after pro-Palestinian protesters “descended” on one of the heaviest Jewish-populated areas in the US. City leaders described the pro-Palestinian group’s actions as antisemitic, adding that they were looking to incite violence and fear. See below article for more information.
For awareness, the Better Business Bureau is warning about IRS text message scams. Please know that the IRS will never text you. See below article for more information.
So far in 2025, we have logged 45 incidents in our Virtual Command Center. This compares to 36 for 2024. We continue to collaborate 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
- Swastika spray-painted outside Jewish Community Services Building in Yonkers (longisland.news12.com)
- Brawls break out surrounding pro-Palestinian protest in heavily Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park (www.jta.org)
- Stimulus Check 2025: BBB sounds alarm on IRS impersonation scams– Here’s how to identify fake messages and protect your personal information from phishing attacks (www.msn.com)
- Utah man accused of threatening to shoot up NYC synagogues arrested entering Lincoln Tunnel (nypost.com)
- How to Spot and Avoid Publishers Clearing House Scams (www.security.org)
- Swastika spray-painted on Westmount synagogue: Montreal police investigating (montreal.citynews.ca)
BluePoint Status
BluePoint installations are now complete at Kollel, Aleph, Shaare Torah and NCJW. Testing to take place next week. Upstreet installation is scheduled to begin next week. 26 of our organizations are online with BluePoint, with seven more coming online by April 1, 2025. Police boxes have all been installed at 16 of our organizations.
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.
