Federation Launches Community Security Initiative
During the last several years, Jewish communities across North America have experienced a dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents, hate crimes, and targeted violence against its institutions. Sadly, 2021 saw the highest number of antisemitic incidents in the United States since the ADL began tracking in 1979. Unfortunately, these threats come from an increasingly diverse and complex array of sources.
To be better prepared against the possibility of targeted violence affecting our community, the United Jewish Federation of Utah is pleased to announce that after significant planning it has initiated the process of hiring our first Community Security Director.
Partnering with the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America, our security program will formally launch in the coming months. SCN and the Federation are recruiting a public safety expert and law enforcement veteran to serve throughout the state as our community’s full-time security executive. Our director will leverage the national resources and tools of SCN to develop and administer a comprehensive program that provides risk mitigation, security consultations, and trainings to all our Jewish institutions throughout the state. In addition, our new professional will serve as our community’s main liaison to local, state, and federal law enforcement.
We are proud to join dozens of Federations and communities in an expanding network that has partnered with SCN to launch community-wide security programs to ensure the safety, security, and resilience of the Jewish people.
Alex Shapiro
Executive Director
To learn more about SCN, watch this short video: