Last Thursday evening, Teaneck community members gathered at the RAIN event space on Water Street for a security briefing from law enforcement and township leadership. The meeting was planned to address the safety concerns and tensions that have heightened since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Elie Y. Katz, along with Chairman of the Advisory Board on Community Relations Yassine Elkaryani, and was co-hosted by Teaneck Township Manager Dean Kazinsci. Officials from the FBI Newark Intelligence Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Teaneck Police Department and the Community Security Service, as well as the Bergen County Prosecutor, were all present to speak about the state of security in Teaneck and answer questions from community members.
The intimate crowd at the security briefing appeared to represent a range of Teaneck residents, from Jewish and pro-Israel to Muslim and pro-Palestinian, and everything in between—including those with little stake in the conflict who have been concerned over the tensions. Compared to other recent Israel-related events in Teaneck, the discussion among all sides during the meeting remained relatively civil, and no protestors appeared outside the space, which was monitored by the Teaneck Police Department and Chaverim of Bergen County.
Deputy Mayor Katz opened the meeting with heartfelt remarks reassuring residents that “no one should live in fear.” He noted that while “we can’t control what is happening internationally,” Teaneck will still be home to a large number of Jews and Muslims living side-by-side. “Right now, passions and emotions are very high and having conversations is challenging,” said Katz. “With bias and hate crimes on rise, the community leaders and law enforcement must do everything to instill confidence and comfort to all residents that our town is safe … tomorrow we will all still be neighbors and many of us will still be friends.”
Katz welcomed lifelong Teaneck educator and advocate Dr. Henry Pruitt to make an opening statement. “While there is nothing Teaneck can do to impact that war, tensions remain high,” Pruitt told the crowd. “We must respect the pain of all segments of the community.”
Michael Campion, chief of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, began the panel by explaining what exactly his office can do for those facing threats or safety concerns. He recounted the establishment of “United Against Hate,” a Department of Justice program created in September 2022 that “teaches communities how to identify, report and help prevent hate crimes,” and “builds alliances between law enforcement and communities.”
Campion’s instruction on reporting hate crimes prompted a couple of questions from the attendees, some that were fraught with emotion as they recalled details of tense moments from the several weeks. “It boils down to, ‘if you see something, say something,’” Manager Kazinci clarified. “We have 9-1-1 personnel staffed in Teaneck, and you are not bothering us when you call.”
FBI Newark Senior Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Joshua Obstfeld began with an explanation of what the FBI is seeking in terms of threats to safety and the criteria for hate crimes and bias. “We are doing what we can for this community and for the entire state of New Jersey,” said Obstfeld. “But as it stands, we do not see a credible threat in this community.” He elaborated that the “threat” would be violence targeting a specific group, and that the FBI has notable concern for “homegrown extremists” who are inspired by hate speech and terrorist organizations elsewhere. “People have the right to peacefully exercise free speech, but not the right to provide material support for terrorism, including donating money to verified foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas.”
“The presence of hate does not necessarily equal a hate crime,” Obstfeld explained. “There must be a clear crime for that person to be prosecuted federally. That said, we encourage everyone to report any incident where they feel threatened, which helps us analyze overall bias trends. Sometimes it can rise to the level of prosecution … we want to know about it.”
The intelligence analyst fielded a few more emotional questions from the attendees, including one young Muslim mother who expressed fear following an incident where her children were followed to their mosque and intimidated by someone in a car. “My kids walk to school every day; I completely understand your concerns,” said Obstfeld. “You did the right thing by calling your police department and if they responded, then I trust that they are doing everything they can to make sure that you and your family and your community are protected.” He added that those who are concerned about a specific incident can report it to the New Jersey Suspicious Activity Reports website or directly to FBI tips. “No one should feel uncomfortable in their own community or feel threatened.”
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella jumped in to speak about bias crimes, especially regarding the county’s ability to monitor and respond to reports appropriately. “Bergen County is one of the safest counties in the state,” he reported, noting that he oversees approximately 3,000 officers and 70 chiefs as the chief law enforcement officer. “I can tell you that since the attack on Israel, I have been on the phone daily with chiefs, with community leaders, with faith leaders … and based on what we’ve seen there are no credible threats in Bergen County.”
Musella added that all 70 police departments in the county have been on “high alert” since October 7, especially around schools, houses of worship and community centers. “When it comes to certain events, we can’t arrest people for exercising their First Amendment constitutional right to free speech,” he explained. “But if any crimes are committed, such as assault, riot, or a hate crime, we will arrest those people and we will prosecute. We are prepared, we are vigilant and we are in this together.”
The prosecutor continued to field questions regarding the specifics of bias crimes and interfaith relations in Teaneck. Ultimately, Musella explained, law enforcement is concerned for the safety of all faiths in the community, and interfaith dialogue should be encouraged as a tool for fostering understanding. “As one of our chaplains said a few weeks ago, ‘We all came here on different ships, but we’re all in the same boat.’”
Captain Chris Kurschner of the Teaneck Police Department assured community members that police are always willing to take accounts of bias incidents and suspicious activity in the area, and that bias officers will investigate incidents and write up reports outlining the vulnerabilities of an institution based on these investigations and risk assessments.
“I want to remind people that they should call us directly if they want us to see something,” said Kurschner. “We do not moderate social media, so if you post something, we will probably not see it. Additionally, if you are using social media, please be very cognizant of the disinformation that is out there … it only heightens people’s fears and creates chaos.”
Kurschner and some of the other panelists, including Kazinci, answered questions regarding the safety of certain areas of the community—notably apartment buildings, the business district and schools. Overall, it was evident that all law enforcement is concerned for the well-being of Teaneck’s residents and is taking measures to ensure that everyone feels secure.
Finally, Deena Seelenfreund of Community Security Service (CSS) spoke briefly about the resources that CSS offers to houses of worship. “You can really do a lot to secure your facility,” she explained. “Our approach uses the human element; it’s very simple and very scalable.”
The evening closed with a comment from a pro-Palestinian Jewish community member, who stated that he feels victimized by the vandalism and hateful rhetoric he’s experienced. Katz was quick to assure the commenter that as a resident of Teaneck, he deserves to feel as safe and secure as anyone else. “We’re here to make sure everyone feels comfortable. If you ever have an issue that crosses any lines, these are the people to reach out to. The objective of tonight is that everyone in the community feels safe together.”
