By Zalman Myer-Smith – Executive Director of www.thecso.org
To say the year 2020 has been surreal thus far is a serious understatement. The world has wrestled with a deadly pandemic, shutdowns, and civil unrest. It’s been continual upheaval, and now with the second wave of COVID-19, there seems a little end in sight. The only consistent experience during this time has been virulent and very concerning levels of antisemitism ranging from graffiti attacks, mass group hate chants and demonstrations, and online campaigns blaming Jews for COVID-19 and the other usual complaints. For the Jewish community, we have seen unity and heroism on untold levels. So much light in a seemingly dark time.
Even in the midst of focusing on COVID-19 solutions, former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, not for the first time, highlighted the fact that the Jewish community needs to start taking community security seriously. Professionally, if we analyze security standards in the United States, it can be shown that we are behind solid community security systems seen in the UK, South Africa, Australia, and Europe.
For the Jewish community, we have seen unity and heroism on untold levels. So much light in a seemingly dark time. Unbelievably, Elul, the Jewish month of spiritual retrospection and preparation is fast approaching.
As we approach the High Holiday season and, we hope for a normal back to school experience, we must not forget that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jewish sites were increasingly being targeted, people were attacked, maimed and even r’l killed. This will inevitably increase as we resume normal operations and with that, we must be proactive versus reactive.
The CSO works with hundreds of Jewish sites, be they schools, synagogues, Chabad houses, or community centers. We have proven that within 36 hours it is possible to upgrade your security on-site and to maintain a basic level of deterrence and delaying an attacker. For obvious reasons, I cannot post-operational details here, but suffice to say that as with any project, there are short-medium, and long term lists of goals for site security.
However, here are some takeaways that could be applied now:
1) A solid relationship with local law enforcement – either you have it or you don’t. Much better to have one before an incident than during or after.
2) Point person at your site to be a law enforcement liaison.
3) Know how to report and who to in the case of an incident or identification of suspicious behavior.
4) Make your site difficult to attack and implement methods to detect and delay an attacker.
5) Get training for yourself and onsite staff in security procedures, protocols, and responses.
6) Build a volunteer force. It’s applicable to all levels. Ultimately, EVERYONE, can be a trained observer and report to those who can mitigate an incident or suspicious behavior. Former Commissioner Ray Kelly and other senior law enforcement agencies continue to remind us that law enforcement cannot protect the Jewish community alone. We need to be proactive, prepared, and able to respond to different types of attacks factoring in training, liability, and exposure.
7) Get a solid security assessment.
8) Seek local or government funding for physical security upgrades.
9) Report every incident, however small. If you don’t report it, it’s as if it never happened.
10) Use Low to no budget systems to upgrade
11) Chabad sites, in particular, are the most visible largest Jewish infrastructure in the United States and their very essence is interaction with the community. Communities need to be able to function without fear or negative interference.
With COVID-19 there have been so many unknowns (and they still exist), however, with the “old hatred” of antisemitism, we have experience and know what we are dealing with. As we prepare for a new Jewish year and back to school, let us do so by using best practices.
Elul is a time for checking mezuzas and taking stock of our Neshomas. This is also a perfect time to examine the security protocols we have in place, identify how we can improve those systems as we work towards the resumption of normal operations.
Zalman Myer-Smith is the Executive Director of www.thecso.org, a Florida based volunteer Community Security Organization liaising, training, and working with law enforcement agencies and serving Jewish community synagogues, schools, and centers. Zalman is also the Director of Security for both Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami and for Chabad of Florida.
We are so blessed to have Reb Zalman at lec
As a (Jewish) neighbourhood we should prepare as a community for any possible unrest – particularly if President Trumps wins – and also if he loses (hefkairus will get worse). As a community – we should be concerned and
prepared (even besides institutional protection each for itself) – as so far, the mprotests nationwwide have not abated at all. We have to hope and dven tht Moshiach comes easily – and in the near future (stright AWAY)!
I would like to think it would be like this:
A war veteran related this story –
They were walking around in the jungle. Then – surprise! –
they encountered enemy soldiers. You know what they did?
They kind of nodded to each other and backed off. This was
because it would have been some kind of stalemate; so, it was
not worth killing each other for a no-win.
Zalman,your passion and dedication when it comes to keeping the Jewish community safe is incredible! Your advice and leadership does not go unnoticed. May you continue to have the straight to continue your vital work!!
Thank you!
D,G,19