During the trial of the perpetrator of the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history, hateful online comments in support of the defendant have surged. Sadly, this kind of rhetoric is neither uncommon nor surprising. In Pittsburgh and across the country, both online and in person, antisemitic incidents have grown in number as well as severity.
We no longer have the option of simply wishing the Jewish community were safe. Proactive measures to safeguard our communities from potential threats have become imperative. To effectively counter future attacks, we must instill a robust culture of security awareness that permeates our community.
The Jewish Federation, along with the Secure Community Network (SCN), a national organization that monitors and protects Jewish institutions across the country, has been working to ensure that we have the resources, training and connections to make safety a reality.
Achieving this level of readiness demands our immediate attention. We cannot afford to wait for the next incident to spur us into action, nor can we rely solely on stopgap measures or assume the measures already in place are enough. Instead, we must embrace a proactive stance, fostering collective responsibility towards security within our community to combat the rise of antisemitic attitudes and defend against the actions they inspire.
Historically dangerous
The Jewish community currently faces the most complex and dynamic threat environment in the history of the United States. The latest FBI Hate Crimes report shows that 51.4% of all religious hate crimes targeted the Jewish community in 2021, for a total of 817 incidents.
In 2022, SCN tracked 13,030 active threats to Jewish facilities and received a record 2,539 incident reports (up 25% from 2021), marking the highest threat level since the organization began tracking. Based on tracking and incident reporting, SCN’s Jewish Security Operations Command Center (JSOCC) reported 770 notifications to law enforcement last year alone, including to the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Here in Pittsburgh, we have seen a drastic increase in incident reporting. We logged 82 incidents in 2021 and 122 in 2022. And only seven months into this year, we have logged 124 incidents of antisemitic hatred and intimidation. These incidents range in severity and include antisemitic stickers or flyers, graffiti, hate-filled social media rhetoric, online threats, verbal and physical assaults, suspicious individuals or vehicles and hate mail.
While there’s no question antisemitism is rising here and across the country, another reason for the increase in reports is the enhanced vigilance of the community. Through improved partnerships between SCN and local Jewish Federations, national partners, and law enforcement — including the first standardized incident reporting form — we also see better coordination and follow-up. These efforts represent a coordinated effort to address antisemitic threats, intimidation and targeted violence.
Culture shift
The prevalence of these events obligates us to build a culture of security awareness for which we are all responsible.
First and foremost, it necessitates robust educational initiatives to equip community members, irrespective of age or background, with the knowledge and skills to identify potential threats. Information campaigns, workshops and training sessions can empower individuals to become vigilant observers of their surroundings and guardians of their communities. Trainings being offered already within our community range from learning how to respond in an active shooter event to “Stop the Bleed” training which teaches participants how to identify and stop life-threatening bleeding in any kind of emergency.
Moreover, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and community cohesion is paramount. Establishing open lines of communication, cultivating trust and nurturing relationships among community members can enhance our collective ability to detect and respond effectively to security concerns.
By encouraging regular dialogue and information sharing, we can create an environment where everyone feels responsible for each other’s safety. This communication is critical given the threat of coordinated attacks, but it also stays relevant every day because better communication improves our ability to identify threats before they become actions.
Additionally, it is crucial to invest in professional security teams capable of responding swiftly and effectively — as well as in training non-security staff in the basics of threat assessment and response. These teams should work closely with law enforcement agencies and other authorities, ensuring seamless coordination in daily vigilance and responding to emergencies.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has spent nearly five years installing highly visible blue boxes, which function similarly to a fire alarm but instead alert police in an emergency. The Federation has also made less-obvious, site-specific community security improvements, such as fencing and other facility upgrades.
Finally, regular drills and simulations can hone community members’ preparedness and foster a culture of continuous improvement. These are the type of structural changes, often referred to as “hardening,” that institutions need to embrace in order to balance openness and safety.
Learning from tragedy
The valuable lessons we took from the October 27 attack in Pittsburgh have been successfully incorporated into our institutions’ security principles, leading to the formation of a closely-knit, watchful and well-prepared community. The three critical pillars of our approach, which has come to be called the Pittsburgh model, are physical and operational assessments of each organization and community; a robust training and drill program; and a threat mitigation program which consists of law enforcement engagement, community reporting and incident response.
Communities nationwide have embraced this model as a blueprint for Jewish security, fostering stronger relationships and establishing fruitful and positive connections between the community and law enforcement.
Security cannot only be the job of institutions and security professionals. To safeguard our community from potential threats, we must cultivate a culture of security awareness that extends to every member. By promptly notifying the Federation’s operational security team (or by dialing 911 in cases of active threats), these individuals become active participants in safeguarding our community. The security team, in turn, responds swiftly and collaborates seamlessly with law enforcement and other authorities to address the situation appropriately.
Being vigilant while still openly participating in Jewish life shows solidarity in the community and demonstrates that we refuse to live in fear of an attack just because of our religious observance. The more prepared and cohesive we are as a community, the stronger and safer our community becomes.
Shawn Brokos, a 24-year veteran of the FBI, is the Director of Community Security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
First Published: July 30, 2023, 9:30 a.m.