In a move that will provide a seamless network of shared intelligence, resources and training stretching from New York to the border of Maryland, nine Jewish organizations have joined forces to create the Jewish Security Alliance of New York/New Jersey.

“This grew naturally out of the violence and serious plots against the Jewish community,” said Scott Richman, director of the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) New York/New Jersey Region.

Richman made his remarks last month during a press conference for the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the parties held at the ADL’s Investigative Research Lab in Manhattan. Standing in front of a wall of large computer screens with statistics and maps glowing behind them, representatives of the organizations took turns signing the formal agreement that Richman acknowledged had existed informally for some time.

The agreement came about a week after the ADL released its annual audit of antisemitic incidents in March, which showed an uptick nationally in 2022 to the highest
levels since the ADL began tracking antisemitism in 1979, with New York leading the nation and New Jersey third. In addition to the ADL, those linking their efforts include the Community Security Initiative (CSI) of New York, which is a joint program of the UJA-Federation of New York and Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, and the Community Security Service’s (CSS) Northeastern Division. CSS is the leading Jewish volunteer security organization in the United States.

Also joining are five New Jersey Jewish federations: the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ; Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey; Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey; Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties; and Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey; and in New York, the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Rockland County. JFed Security, which is part of the southern New Jersey federation, also monitors Delaware and the smaller federations in the southernmost part of New Jersey.

Richman said the seamless sharing of information will allow the alliance to become “a central point of contact” to share incident reports, online threats and provide security recommendations and training for Jewish institutions and members.

One of those critical resources in protecting the community is the network of trained volunteers, said Evan Bernstein, CEO of CSS, which has 2,500 such people in 15 states, almost half of them in New York and New Jersey, serving as the eyes and ears on the ground.

“No one is going to care more than a volunteer what happens to their friends inside their synagogue,” said Bernstein.

The ADL, through its Center on Extremism, provides critical information to help that army of volunteers and the new alliance will only enhance their effectiveness. “This is something that needs to be replicated across the United States,” said Bernstein. “We cannot afford to be operating in silos. This type of working partnership makes our Jewish community safer. This needs to become the norm. The rise of antisemitism is not going away.”

CSI Executive Director Mitch Silber noted, just as “What happens in Las Vegas doesn’t stay in Las Vegas we say what happens in New Jersey doesn’t stay in New Jersey.” Having an interconnected web of agencies and organizations will help to pinpoint trends and perpetrators.

Silber, the former director of intelligence analysis at the NYPD, said similar incidents may occur in Nassau County, Rockland County and New Jersey, but because of different jurisdictions none of the local law enforcement may realize the connection. The volunteers additionally act as a “force-multiplier” providing the “connective tissue” with law enforcement, said Silber.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said that in recent years, the Jewish communities of New York and New Jersey, where one-third of the nation’s Jewish community lives, have shouldered an inordinate burden of the rise in antisemitism, which has jumped an “astounding” 500% over the last decade, nationally.

“This is personal for me,” he said. “This is my community. I go to synagogue every Saturday. My kids are at Hebrew school every week. I get angry. I’m outraged.”

The Orthodox community has in particular borne the brunt of the violence and he described Brooklyn as “the epicenter” of violence directed at those Jews. “By working together we can protect more Jewish people and create a model that can be replicated across the country,” said Greenblatt.

Amy Keller, director of security initiatives and external affairs for the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey and Robert Wilson, chief security officer for the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, both serve on the Interfaith Advisory Council of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

“We speak with a singular voice,” said Wilson of the goals of the alliance and noted that the increase in incidents involving observant Jews is especially concerning because of the influx of Chasidic Jews from New York settling in Union County. He noted there are overall 155,000 Jews in the federation catchment area.

“New Jersey law enforcement is plugged in both physically and with cyber security,” said Keller. “This is just another layer of defense to bring across the river.”

Tim Torell, Jewish community security director for the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, said the alliance would increase communication and participation among stakeholders that already exists “so that we know what Bob is doing in MetroWest and we are all on the same page.”

By Debra J Rubin