Following Poway, Security System Donated to Chabads

By COLlive reporter

Digital security doorman systems were recently gifted to 100 Chabad centers, synagogues and institutions around the USA and the world in the wake of the shooting attack on Chabad of Poway in California.

The attack on the final day of Pesach led to the killing of community member Lori Kaye and the injuries of 3 others, including Shliach Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, leading many synagogues to pay closer attention to their security procedures.

“After Poway, we invited a detective from the local police who is the liaison for anti-terror activities, and the head of security at the university, to meet with us and discuss our security protocol,” says Rabbi Peretz Chein, Director of Chabad at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.

He told JNS that one of the first concerns they had was their open-door policy, typical to most Chabad centers and many synagogues.

A solution to the need was provided by a graduate of Brandeis, Ari Teman, who founded GateGuard, a security polycarbonate-and-solid-steel box which manages the front door with a 10-inch touchscreen and camera with facial-recognition ability.

Teman was a regular at Chabad during his studies at Brandeis and has since made a name for himself as a comedian, volunteer and entrepreneur. Following Poway, Teman has donated GateGuard™ systems to 100 Chabad buildings.

“One of the biggest threats is people having a false sense of security or a panic button that has low response times,” he told JNS. “It’s not sufficient sometimes to have just one guard. Our package is just a start, but can be a start in detecting patterns. You will have a clear picture of a person who is making repeated visits trying to get in or casing the place.”

Teman said that based on interest, he will consider either ordering more to donate, providing them at a deep discount or helping organize co-sponsorships for security systems at individual Chabad centers.  To learn more, visit teman.com/Chabad