The Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team (JCAT),  collaboration by the NCTC, DHS, and FBI to improve information sharing among governmental and private partners, just published a new analysis for first responders: The Threat of Terrorism and Hate Crimes Against Jewish Communities in the United States. The publication provides awareness of and suggestions for mitigating terrorist threats and hate crimes against Jewish communities.

The primary focus (while acknowledging the nexus with international terrorism)  of the analysis is an updating of the threat:

“Domestic actors, specifically violent extremists with racial biases and motives, pose a security threat to Jewish communities. The threat may also manifest in ideologically-motivated workplace violence; anti-Semitic harassment; threatening incidents that target Jewish schools, community centers and synagogues; and a significant number of assaults and hate crimes at K-12 schools and on college campuses that continue to take place.”

Three takeaways:

1. 1. The document urges law enforcement agencies to develop strong relationships with Jewish communal institutions. The Community Security Initiative (CSI) — a joint program of UJA-Federation and JCRC-NY) recommends the flip side of the coin: that institutions build strong relationships with their local precincts and departments. In New York City, Long Island and Westchester, your CSI Regional Security Manager can help you to build such relationships. Click here to contact your Regional Security Manager.
   2. This will be a very unique school reopening and High Holiday season with increased security concerns. Click here to contact your Regional Security Manager.for suggestions and to review your options.
   3. The updated threat assessment in this publication, and the attendant examples, should be the core of your application for New York State and federal grants.

Feel free to contact CSI should you need more information.