Category: Community Security & Antisemitism

There’s an infamous stretch of the Boston Marathon route called Heartbreak Hill. It sits between miles 20 and 21, a point at which the race weighs heavy on the runners, and the finish line is not yet in view. This stretch of road has been on my mind this week as our community finds itself rallying to meet another critical moment.

It’s hard to believe that after the horrors of October 7th and the war with Hamas, Israelis would once again be called upon to demonstrate their resilience, but that was the situation over the past two weeks as Israel sought to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program and Iran sought to inflict pain on the Israeli population. In response, Federation is accelerating funds and increasing support to provide Israelis with additional trauma care and mental health support, upgrade shelters for thousands of evacuees—including Jewish, Arab and Druze communities, and ensure specialized support for at-risk teens and displaced families. Learn more and donate.

Here at home, we are focused on security. This week, I joined a delegation of 400 Jewish leaders from around the country to urge Congress to adopt the Jewish Community’s Six-Point Policy on Security. The proposal calls for a comprehensive strategy to increase security for the Jewish community, including increasing Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding to $1 billion, expanding support for security personnel and local law enforcement at Jewish institutions, and enhancing FBI intelligence capabilities to address potential threats. It also emphasizes prosecuting antisemitic hate crimes and holding tech platforms accountable for spreading antisemitic content. Contact your representative.

This work is urgent, important, and deserving of your support. I also want to acknowledge that like those marathon runners rounding mile 20, it’s possible that the challenges over the past five years might be getting to us. Since 2020, we’ve been giving it our all to come together as a community and address immense needs locally, globally and in Israel. Through Covid, Ukraine, October 7, and beyond our collective efforts have been monumental and record breaking—and it’s understandable if we’re feeling more than a little fatigued.

The magic of Heartbreak Hill, however, is that while the marathon runners are exhausted, they are doing it with the largest crowds along the path of the race cheering them on. In our community’s case, we meet this moment by becoming both runner and cheerleader. We need everyone in our collective race. Our success depends not on a few but on all of us. And we need to remind each other we’re not alone on the course. We have one another, our allies, a purpose, and a Jewish story still unfolding.

We recognize that significant challenges remain. Our support for Israel continues to be vital. We must accelerate our investment in ensuring security at all Jewish institutions and events—and rise to meet the surge in interest and engagement we’re seeing across our community: to be together, to experience the richness of learning, celebration, and connection. After all, our goal continues to be to strengthen Jewish life and engage more people in the beauty of Judaism and the Jewish people.

We’ve been through a lot as a community, and there’s a lot more we’ll need to navigate together, but so long as we keep our vision for vibrant Jewish life front and center, there’s no hill we can’t climb.

Shabbat Shalom,

Gil

I’ve been to the site of the Nova Music Festival—where Hamas unleashed unthinkable violence—just outside Kibbutz Re’im. I’ve walked the grounds. I thought it couldn’t get harder than that. But then I walked through the Nova Exhibition at Gallery Place in Washington, DC, and heard the stream of raw video: the yelling, the screaming, the gunshots. Footage taken by people who were there—by victims, not reporters. You don’t just hear it. You feel it—in your core, in a completely different way. The exhibit doesn’t just show you what happened. It immerses you in it. It confronts you. It stays with you. Nova survivor Noa Beer shared her story and reminded me: this wasn’t just an attack on a place. It was an attack on joy. An attack on freedom. An attack on community.

Why Federation Day at the Nova Exhibition Matters

That’s why Federation Day at the Nova Exhibition on Tuesday, July 1 matters. It’s not just about viewing an art installation, walking past scorched cars, standing among bullet-riddled bathroom stalls, or staring at piles of personal belongings left behind. It’s about bearing witness—together. Come. Join your community. Bring someone who hasn’t seen it. Someone who needs to understand. That’s how we get through the hardest things: by showing up. By being in community. July 1 is for exactly this. A day to stand with the victims, lift up the survivors, and lean on each other. Because healing begins with presence. And it continues with action.

Federation’s Response: From Witnessing to Action

That’s why The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is:

• Supporting trauma recovery programs for survivors of October 7
• Strengthening local Jewish security through JShield
• Investing in both immediate relief and long-term healing in Israel

It all matters. And so does this moment—standing together, bearing witness, being there. I hope you’ll meet me there—on Tuesday, July 1.

713 7th Street NW
Open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Reserve your timed-entry tickets at novaexhibition.com

On Wednesday, I had the honor of joining fellow lay and professional leaders from Greater Washington—alongside hundreds more from 100+ Jewish communities across the country—for the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)’s Emergency Leadership Mission: United for Security on Capitol Hill.

As JFNA CEO Eric Fingerhut so powerfully said, “The power of today is our unity.”

I felt that unity profoundly. It gave me strength and deepened my pride in being Jewish—and in serving our community through the work of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

Building Security Through Advocacy

Throughout the day, I met leaders from every corner of Jewish life. We come from different backgrounds, attend different kinds of synagogues—or none at all. We live in diverse communities, hold a wide range of political beliefs, and may disagree on many issues. And yet, we stood united by a shared purpose: ensuring that our Jewish communities have the security and resources to live freely and safely as Jews. To celebrate simchas (joyful Jewish lifecycle events). To attend school. To pray. To observe our holidays. To mourn. All without fear.

Together, we called on Congress to expand the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—a vital source of support for Jewish institutions nationwide. Locally, our JShield initiative helps schools, synagogues, and other organizations apply for these funds and turn them into real-world security upgrades. It’s one of the many ways we’re investing in safety—not just through dollars, but through expertise, coordination, and partnership.

A Memorable Capitol Hill Moment

One moment captured the spirit of the day perfectly: a group of us—lay leaders and professionals from Greater Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis—were racing to make it to our meeting with Jonathan Lord, the new national security advisor to Senator Angela Alsobrooks. The usual route was closed, so we had to get creative. After some quick coordination (and a little begging), I found a staffer named Zane who helped us access the restricted train that runs between the House and Senate buildings. Thanks to Zane, we arrived just in time. The meeting was incredibly productive, especially the conversation with Alsobrooks’s new national security advisor, Jonathan Lord, who, as it happens, is Jewish.

It wasn’t just a logistical workaround. It was a reminder that behind every policy win and funding decision is a relationship, a human moment, a door opened.

And sometimes, that connection comes with VIP access to the underground Senate train—complete with a new friend named Zane.

Strength in Collective Action

We came together with a single goal: to keep our communities safe. We showed up to tell our stories—diverse, personal, and deeply rooted in Jewish life—and to affirm our determination to live proudly and securely as Jews, even in the face of rising antisemitism and new threats unlike any we’ve experienced in the U.S., and certainly not in Washington, DC.

I’m especially grateful to Guila Franklin Siegel, one of our partners at the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, who led many of the day’s meetings with clarity, purpose, and a deep understanding of what’s at stake. Her reflections capture the urgency and solidarity of the moment beautifully.

Why I Returned to Federation

It’s been nearly six months since I returned to Federation. I came back for many reasons. I believe in the power of philanthropy—what becomes possible when people give generously and collectively to drive meaningful change. I love the Jewish community, and I especially love the Jewish community here in Greater Washington. I moved here with purpose, like so many others, at 23 years old. Nearly 30 years later, I feel more at home here than ever.

This week gave me renewed hope that we will get through this challenging time—so long as we do it together.

Our unity is our strength. Now more than ever, it’s up to all of us to show up, speak out, and invest in the security and resilience of Jewish life—for ourselves and for generations to come.

Let’s keep moving forward—together.

On Wednesday, June 18, the most generous members of the Greater Washington Jewish community gathered for an unforgettable evening at the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in Washington, DC—a powerful, immersive tribute honoring the lives lost and the strength of survivors following the October 7 terror attack.

This wasn’t just an event. It was a reckoning. A moment that asked each of us: What will you do with what you now know?

Inside the exhibition—transformed from a site of celebration into sacred ground—we walked through a landscape once alive with music, freedom, and light. The same landscape where, on October 7, thousands of young people were dancing in the desert when terror struck. The attack didn’t just take lives—it targeted joy itself.

But joy, as our community was reminded, is resilient.

Survivors and community leaders took the stage to bear witness—and to ask us to do the same.

Noa Beer, one of the Nova Festival’s original organizers and a survivor of the attack, stood before us and declared: “You are now witnesses.” Her story turned presence into purpose.

Brian Levenson spoke to the strength of our chevra—our sacred circle of trust that shows up in moments that matter. He reminded us that Jewish identity is shaped not just by what we endure, but by what we choose to stand for.

Marla Schulman, incoming chair of Federation’s Community Leadership Council, shared how her trips to Israel were canceled—visits to grantees and leadership programs postponed because of escalating violence. Her family in Tel Aviv continues to live under constant threat. Walking through the exhibit, she imagined her own children among the young people at Nova. “This exhibition,” she said, “tells the story not through headlines, but through the beat that stopped and the lives that were shattered.”

And Mollie Bowman—soon to be a mother, and a third-generation Holocaust survivor—stood in the raw space between grief and hope. “I’m filled with fear for the world my child will inherit,” she said, “and I am also audaciously hopeful that they may change it for the better.”

This evening wasn’t just about remembrance. It was about responsibility.

It wasn’t only for those in the room. It’s for everyone.

Step Into the Story

Stand with our Greater Washington community at Federation Day at the Nova Exhibition—a powerful moment to honor memory, affirm our shared values, and offer collective strength.

Bring a friend. Invite others. Everyone needs to see it.

Bear witness and share the story—on social media, in your circles, and across our community

This is more than an exhibit. It’s a declaration: Joy will not be silenced. Community will not be broken. Truth will not fade.

This is our moment to listen. To act. To carry the light forward.

Stay connected. Stand together. Be a witness.

In Crisis. We Come Together.

Today we’re reminded that resilience, collective action, and solidarity are more than values—they’re our sacred responsibilities.

As urgent needs emerge in Israel and here at home, our community is asking: How can we help?

In Israel, families are sheltering from an unrelenting wave of missile strikes. Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva was hit, forcing patients and staff into protected areas and temporarily shutting down essential medical services.

In Greater Washington, we’re reeling from violent antisemitic attacks and rising fear.

This isn’t business as usual.

This is the moment to lean in—together.

DONATE NOW

Because of your support, Federation is responding in real time:

• Delivering trauma care and urgent relief in Israel
• Improving shelters for evacuees through new partnerships in the Kinneret Valley Cluster (KVC)
• Strengthening security through our JShield initiative, which provides emergency planning, physical safeguards, and grant support for synagogues, schools, and gathering spaces across Greater Washington
• Your support provides urgent, critical resources to help keep our community safe—here and in Israel.

Stay Informed. Stay Connected.

Our partners are hosting virtual briefings with real-time updates on the crisis in Israel and growing security concerns here at home.

Updates are often posted on short notice, so we encourage you to check this page regularly. Recordings will be posted as we receive them for those unable to attend.

Let’s meet this moment, together.

In the following letter, a group of Jewish Federation and foundation leaders call for unity, civility, and collaboration in the face of the rising tide of hatred toward Jews.”

Dear Friends and Leaders of the Jewish Community,

We write to you today with urgency, with heartbreak, and with unwavering resolve. The time to unite is now, not tomorrow or next week but NOW.

At a time when antisemitism is rising at a staggering and dangerous pace—on campuses, in the streets, online, and tragically, again in deadly acts of violence—we must confront truth: those who seek to harm Jews do not ask us how we vote, how we feel about Israel, or what kind of kippah—if any—we wear.

Last Wednesday evening, in our nation’s capital, it was murder. Weeks earlier, arson was attempted at the home of a Jewish governor. From Pittsburgh to Poway, and across North America, we are victims of threats, vandalism, harassment, and intimidation with a frequency and intensity many of us never imagined we would experience in our lifetimes. Our community is deeply divided on many issues: on how best to or even if we can fight antisemitism, on the future of Israel and its war in Gaza, and on politics more broadly.

These are real and meaningful debates, and we must have them in good faith and with respect. But let us be clear: those who hate us rarely make such distinctions. To them, a Jew is a Jew. And history has shown us where that logic can lead. Throughout history, when Jews failed to unite in the face of existential threats, the consequences were catastrophic. The destruction of the Second Temple was not only the result of Roman power, but also of sinat chinam—baseless hatred and infighting among Jews. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes. Our disagreements, however, deeply felt, must not overshadow our shared obligation to protect and uplift the Jewish people.

We are all in this together, and we must stop fighting each other. Now is the time to stand shoulder to shoulder—not in uniformity of opinion, but in unity of purpose. This is not the job of one Jewish organization or a few brave leaders, it is OUR responsibility. We, as Jewish leaders, choose unity over division.

We, the undersigned, call upon every Jewish leader—religious and secular, progressive and conservative, young and old—to find common cause in the most fundamental of obligations: to ensure the safety, dignity, and future of our people. Let our disagreements not divide us into paralysis or despair. Let them sharpen our thinking and deepen our commitments.

And above all, let us remember that in moments of crisis, Jewish strength has always come from Jewish unity.

Am Yisrael Chai.

With hope and determination,

(Names listed in Alphabetical Order)

B. Elka Abrahamson, Rabbi
President
The Wexner Foundation

Amanda Abrams
Executive Director
The Zalik Foundation

Marc Baker
President and CEO
Combined Jewish Philanthropies

Josh Donner
Executive Director
The Shapira Foundation

Lisa Eisen
Co President
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

Rabbi Noah Farkas
President and CEO
Jewish Federation of Los Angeles

Jeff Finkelstein
President and CEO
Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Barry Finestone
President and CEO
Jim Joseph Foundation

Julie Platt and Eric Fingerhut
Chair, President and CEO
Jewish Federations of North America

Deena Fuchs
Executive Director
Micah Philanthropies

Rachel Garbow Monroe
President and CEO
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

Rabbi David Gedzelman
President and CEO
The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life

Eric S. Goldstein
CEO
UJA-Federation of New York

Michael Hoffman
President and CEO
Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

Stephen Hoffman
Chairman
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation

Steven Ingber
CEO
Jewish Federation of Detroit

Brain Jaffee
CEO
The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati

Jay Kaiman
President
The Marcus Foundation

Karyn Cohen Leviton
VP, Jewish Life and Engagement
One8 Foundation

Adam Minsky
President and CEO
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Yamit Taragan Nahami
Acting CEO
Aviv Foundation

Lonnie Nassiter
CEO and President
JUF Chicago

Adina Poupko
Executive Director
Natan Fund

Gil Preuss
CEO
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

Dana Raucher
Executive Director
The Samuel Bronfman Foundation

Erika Rudin-Luria
President
Jewish Federation of Cleveland

Joy Sissisky
President and CEO
Bay Area Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund

Andrés Spokoiny
President and CEO
Jewish Funders Network

Marina Yudborovsky
CEO
Genesis Philanthropy Group

If you think it’s just about calling out hate, think again.

At a recent panel hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Ben Gurion Society, three frontline leaders—
Rob Granader, Vicki Fishman, and Omer Oppenheim—sat down for a candid, sometimes uncomfortable, and deeply human conversation about what it really takes to protect and uplift Jewish life today.

And they didn’t hold back. The conversation opened with a sobering acknowledgment: antisemitism is not only rising, but it’s also becoming more complex to address.

“We’re losing the battle on social media.”

That’s how Rob Granader put it. A longtime advocate and Federation task force leader, Granader spoke with urgency about the cultural and political headwinds facing the Jewish community. “We’re in a mode in this world where we’re not changing our minds,” he said. “So do you go after your foes—or do you focus on strengthening your friends?”

It’s a question that doesn’t have easy answers. But it’s one that this panel wrestled with head-on.

Omer Oppenheim, Director of Government Relations at Jewish Federations of North America, pointed to broader communal division as a critical barrier: “Half the Jewish community thinks the problem is antisemitism on the right, and the other half thinks it’s on the left. If we can’t agree on what the problem is, how can we expect others to get on the same page?”

The Hidden Frontlines: Schools, City Councils, and Quiet Wins

While many headlines today focus on college campuses, Vicki Fishman, Director of Virginia Government and Community Relations at the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), pointed to a quieter, more insidious battleground: K–12 schools. “The problem may not be antisemitism itself—it might be bad teaching,” she explained. “And when you have a good policy but a bad teacher, you still end up with antisemitic outcomes.”

She also shared a behind-the-scenes win in Alexandria, Virginia, where quiet advocacy helped stop a BDS resolution before it could gain traction. “To hear from someone who’s not a friend of Israel that there’s no appetite for this—it gave me hope.”

The Power of Relationships

A recurring theme throughout the evening was the importance of relationships—especially when navigating difficult conversations. Whether it’s educating a local official about the implications of invoking antisemitic tropes or deciding when to call out versus call in, the panelists emphasized nuance and persistence.

Fishman shared a story about a local politician who used problematic language on national television. “We got him on the phone and talked to him about what the problem was… and he stopped making that reference.” These behind-the-scenes efforts, while not always visible, are essential to long-term change.

Hope in Action

Despite the challenges, the panelists shared what gives them hope. Granader spoke passionately about the younger generation: “Post October 7, there’s been so much energy… People are showing up and being resolute about being Jewish in a way that is just so encouraging.”

Oppenheim, who works on Capitol Hill often, added, “Both parties care about combating antisemitism… Maybe now is not the right time, but in three months, six months—however long it takes—it’ll be the right time to make meaningful change.”

“They’re lions.”

That’s how Granader described the younger generation of Jewish students stepping up in the wake of October 7. “They’re resolute. They’re showing up. And they’re not afraid to be visibly, proudly Jewish.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Oppenheim: “Both parties care about combating antisemitism,” he said. “Maybe now isn’t the moment for big change—but that moment is coming.”

From Conversation to Action – What YOU Can Do

Our esteemed panel didn’t mince words. “Live Jewishly in whatever way you can, and don’t be shy about it,” Fishman challenged, recounting how wearing a yellow pin or a dog tag necklace can often spark conversation.

Other advice from the panel included:

Responding to action alerts and contacting your members of Congress is one of the most direct ways to make your voice heard and support policies that combat antisemitism.

Stay informed by subscribing to newsletters like those from the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and Jewish Insider. Awareness is a powerful first step toward action.

Get involved in advocacy days hosted by your local and state legislatures. Showing up in person demonstrates the strength and visibility of our community.

When you’re invited to join a task force or working group, say yes. Your voice and perspective matter, and your involvement can shape meaningful outcomes.

Live Jewishly—and do so openly. Everyday moments, from casual conversations to public expressions of identity, can become powerful opportunities for education and connection.

Consider hosting gatherings like Shabbat dinners. These informal settings allow others to experience Jewish life in an authentic, welcoming, and non-confrontational way.

Keep in mind that what may seem obvious to you might be unfamiliar to others. Be ready to explain Jewish history, culture, and experiences with patience and clarity.

And finally, as Rob Granader said so well: “Say ‘yes’ when Federation calls!”

Last night, two young members of our community, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were murdered in an antisemitic attack in Washington, DC.

They were peacebuilders—deeply committed to fostering understanding, repairing divides, and creating a more just and compassionate world. Sarah was a beloved member of our extended Federation family, known personally by several on our team. Yaron was planning on proposing to Sarah. Their life together was just beginning to take shape.

And it was stolen by hate.

We grieve. We rage. We feel afraid.

It is in our shared pain and the deep connection we find in one another—in our Jewish community—that we begin to heal.

We are in close contact with local and federal law enforcement. Our partners in law enforcement are answering the call to increase presence around Jewish institutions. Our JShield security team is on high alert and working around the clock to protect our community.

The Jewish community of Greater Washington is strong. We stand in solidarity in our commitment to combat hate.

We are shaken—but we are not alone. And we will move forward—together.

May their memories be for a blessing—and a source of strength. 

With broken hearts and unbreakable resolve,

Robin & Gil

Robin Hettleman Weinberg
President, Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

Gil Preuss
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

Photo Credit: The New York Times courtesy of the Milgrim Family

“The worst part is that nobody believes us,” a survivor of the October 7th massacre told Meredith Jacobs during her trip to Israel following the attack. This one small sentence would go on to spark a global movement. As the CEO of Jewish Women International, Meredith’s job had been to advocate for the end of gender-based violence, and during her tenure at the organization, the projects were mostly based in the United States. But in that moment, Meredith realized there was something more. The deluge of social media posts and news articles were coming out denying or justifying the sexual violence that was a well-documented component of the attack was staggering.  “How can you see [the documentation], and hear their testimonies, and not believe, and not feel empathy?” Meredith wondered.  

DISINFORMATION AND DENIAL 

In partnership with the Seed the Dream Foundation, Jewish Women International decided to take action and seek to explain what was happening both on land and online. They created the I Believe Israeli Women Global Movement and began a massive research project led by retired US Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, Meryl Frank. The result was an astounding report examining how digital platforms are being used around the globe to deny the use of conflict-related sexual violence, manipulate public perceptions, retraumatize survivors and prevent accountability.  

The Fund for Women and Girls at the Jewish Community Foundation engages community members in the Greater Washington area in collective learning, amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable, and giving to accelerate better conditions and outcomes for women and girls in Israel, and here in our region. After two rounds of grantmaking to Israeli organizations supporting women and girls after October 7th, the Fund learned from grantees that many of the organizations did not have the capacity to combat the disinformation campaigns online, and were having to allocate crucial resources to building a body of evidence, rather than providing crisis response services to their stakeholders.  The report caught the attention of the fund as a way to amplify and spread awareness about the realities Israeli women were facing. 

BOTS, TROLL FARMS & ALGORITHMS 

The report debuted on April 3rd, 2025, in Washington, DC to an audience of diplomats, congressional staff and community leaders – including members of the Fund for Women and Girls at the Jewish Community Foundation who co-sponsored the event. “There are 21 reported ongoing cases of conflict related sexual violence,” Ambassador Frank shared with attendees, “but what was unique to Israel was the speed and scale of disinformation. Thirty to forty percent of the posts were traced to bots and troll farms from Russia and Iran.”  

In looking deeper at conflicts in Myanmar, Ukraine, Sudan, Iraq and Israel a disturbing pattern emerged.

In each country social media was used to simultaneously glorify the violence, and to paint the survivors as liars, often manipulating evidence and using deliberate disinformation in the process. “In a climate of uncertainty, bad actors can take advantage. This both prevents other survivors from coming forward and works to deny what traditional reports have found,” explained veteran journalist, Laura Adkins at the event.  

“No matter what, no matter how difficult, you keep telling the truth,” Efrat Hochstetler, Counselor for Public Diplomacy who oversees media at the Embassy of Israel. Efrat’s team has taken on the daunting task of navigating how to share the truth while protecting survivors and families of victims and upholding the privacy and dignity of those affected, often working around the clock during the first months of the crisis.  

BELIEVING ISRAELI WOMEN – 5 ACTIONS TO TAKE TODAY 

“After October 7th, everyone wanted to do something, but no one knew what to do,” Ambassador Frank shared, a sentiment that has been felt across our broader Jewish Federation of Greater Washington community. When opening any of the multitude of social media apps we use daily, it is easy to feel helpless as an individual, but the panel emphasized the power in taking collective action as a community.  They provided a toolkit of tangible actions we can use to address the disinformation and denial online: 

1. Report posts promptly on social media platforms you use when you see harmful content, doxxing, or misinformation.  
2. Promote and share credible and verifiable testimony from survivors and witnesses.  
3. Expand media literacy programs in schools and workplaces 
4. Encourage peers to correct misinformation in their own networks 
5. Support organizations and funds that partner with trusted community voices and survivor-led initiatives.  

The report details a full list of recommendations including actions for governments, technology platforms, organizations, and individuals including supporting data transparency, and global adoption of the Berkeley Protocol to standardize the collection, verification and usage of data connected to conflict-related sexual violence.  

As for Meredith, Ambassador Frank, and the team at Jewish Women International, they are busy planning congressional hearings and advocacy at upcoming United Nations convenings. For them, this is only the beginning. “We will never have justice, but we may have historic justice,” Nava Ben Or, a member of The Dinah Project told Meredith when she brought the Believe Israeli Women delegation to the Knesset. “This is the first time I’ve felt hope.” 

HOW TO GIVE 

You can support the I Believe Israeli Women Global Movement with a gift to Jewish Women International through your donor advised fund by putting I Believe Israeli Women in the notes or directly at jwi.org 

You can contribute to The Fund for Women and Girls to support our continued grantmaking in support of Israeli women and girls through your DAF or by credit card.  

“Security starts with us in the community.”

This was the message delivered by Captain Ian Clark of the Montgomery County Police Department to more than 50 attendees from across the DMV at an all-day summit on April 8. Formed in 2023, JShield is the community security service organized by and housed within the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. The theme that prevention of threats to Jewish institutions and members of the community is not a duty that can be solely delegated to “the professionals” or hiring of security guards for events but requires, among other things, situational awareness, preparation and planning, communication and development of strong relationships with local and federal law enforcement and experts in the security space.

In his keynote address, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff shared insights that resonated with participants, outlining several high-level factors contributing to the increase in threats to the Jewish Community. He began by explaining the buildup of stress within the U.S. over the last few decades. He identified the stress as developing from the 2008 recession, the COVID lockdown, foreign policy issues, tariffs, declining confidence in where the U.S. stands in the global landscape, and domestic terrorist attacks. Concurrently, with the increase in stress comes a heightened sense of threat and uncertainty and, subsequently, a reduction in personal inhibitions. He closed by emphasizing the importance of developing a culture of security in communities and that security is a team sport.

Rusty Rosenthal, the Executive Director of JShield, began his remarks by echoing this sentiment–emphasizing that JShield does not and was never intended to work in isolation. He described the partnerships that JShield, as a new agency, has forged with similar organizations focused on the Jewish community, such as Secure Community Network, ADL, JCRC, and other Federations’ security departments, federal and local law enforcement agencies.

The presentations by Rosenthal and his team focused on the extensive expertise that each brings to the improvement of the security posture in the Jewish community.

Laura Katzif, Northern Virginia Security Advisor and Security Director at Pozez JCC highlighted her background in emergency preparedness—and the importance of understanding that threats to well-being go beyond active shooter to extreme weather, domestic feuds within families that are sometimes acted out in schools, and other dangers. Her perspective involves identifying risks in an organization and how to mitigate them. She identified the emergency preparedness process and the types of plans that might be needed. She characterized much of the approach of the JShield team as “teaching adaptability” because real-life conflict doesn’t follow a script.

Shay HaLevi, Deputy Director of Community Security, described the human reaction to threats and how he brings his training to individuals within an organization on a human level. That training ranges from breathing techniques for remaining calm to how a greeter may best approach an unknown person in an organizational setting.

Adam Bronstone, Grants Specialist, highlighted the assistance JShield provides in assisting organizations effectively apply for security grants. He also provided insight into the confusion about the current commitment to funding such grants in the future.

Ty Mooney, JShield Intelligence Analyst, explained the importance of reporting each incident on JShield’s Incident Reporting Form. That form allows JShield and its partners to receive information simultaneously. Additionally, JShield is working to refine the reporting forms to distill more actionable data for our region.

A summit highlight was a panel led by representatives from the Fairfax County, Montgomery County, and D.C. Metropolitan Police Departments. The consistent message they conveyed was to report any and all incidents, both big and small. They also took some time to explain the distinction between a hate bias incident versus a possible hate crime and took questions from attendees.

The summit also included a discussion of the relevance and possible continued threat posed to the United States by Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. One panelist emphasized that the one common element among both foreign and domestic terrorists and extremists on both the right and the left is antisemitism.

Participants and panelists applauded the summit not just as an informative session but as a convening of all those in the community who either study, work to prevent, or want to forestall terrorism and other threats to the Jewish community.

JShield plans to hold the summit annually as it continues to increase its impact on the community and its awareness and participation in its own collective security.