Funding Urgent Security Needs for Jewish Institutions

In the aftermath of this weekend's horrific attack on Congregation Beth Israel in suburban Dallas, many of our members are asking how they can help protect Jewish institutions and individuals. The attack highlighted the value of proper security measures and training: Beth Israel's Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker has credited the techniques learned in multiple security trainings with helping him and the other hostages survive — and eventually escape — the hours-long standoff with an armed attacker.

At JFN, we generally avoid steering funders to specific charities or nonprofits. However, given the urgency of this issue, we are listing several Jewish organizations and projects that are at the forefront of this work. In yesterday's newsletter, we already mentioned Jewish Federations of North America's Live Secure campaign. Other worthy programs are:

Because we are a network and seek to leverage the experience and wisdom of our members whenever possible, I want to spotlight the extensive leadership of two of our members — the Kirsh Foundation and the Paul E. Singer Foundation — in this field. Please let me know if I can help connect you with Kirsh Foundation Global CEO Carly Maisel or Paul E. Singer CEO Daniel Bonner. JFN members also can find them in our Member Directory.

In the near future, we will be offering more resources and webinars on this important topic, and there will, of course, be numerous opportunities to discuss it at the JFN International Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., March 27-29. In the meantime, I encourage you to watch this webinar that JFN hosted last year.

Thank you for your ongoing interest in our work and in supporting a vibrant and secure Jewish community.