Joint Security Guidance for Jewish Institutions
Following Strikes on Iran
Following strikes by the United States and Israel on the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jewish Federations of North America, Secure Community Network (SCN), ADL (Anti-Defamation League), Community Security Service (CSS), and Community Security Initiative (CSI) of New York, recommend that Jewish communities across North America remain vigilant and maintain heightened security measures.
Tensions involving Iran contribute to an already elevated threat environment driven in part by state-sponsored actors, foreign terrorist organizations, violent extremists, and opportunist groups. Moreover, Iran has threatened, both directly and through its proxies, to target the Jewish community, Israel, and the United States should they be attacked.
All parties remain in close contact with national partners and key stakeholders, including working with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and Jewish communal organizations to monitor developments, share information, and ensure appropriate security measures are implemented as circumstances require.
We will continue to actively monitor events and proactively share any relevant information. To report incidents or suspicious activity, please contact your local law enforcement agency, local reporting authority, and security professional.
This group recommends that communities reemphasize the previously released Eight Best Practice Recommendations (below).
Eight Best Practice Recommendations:
- Ensure awareness and coordination with law enforcement and the Jewish Community Security Initiative and/or security professionals servicing your community or region
- Extend the protections or security of your event’s/facility’s perimeter as far as possible
- Open events only to identifiable individuals and pre-screened invitation lists (e.g., no mass emails to the broad public)
- Require registration and verification of registrants for events open to the public
- Provide details of location, time, and other information only upon confirmed registration
- Allow access control (locks and entrance procedures) to known, confirmed registrants/attendees into the facility/event
- Remain vigilant and report suspicious activity
- Add armed on-duty or off-duty law enforcement, private security, and/or volunteer teams as additional layers of protection wherever possible