Spike in antisemitic incidents prompts new security alliance in NY and NJ
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The recent rise in antisemitic incidents in the greater New York City area has sparked a new collaborative effort to protect the Jewish community.
Eight organizations serving area Jewish communities announced Tuesday that they are banding together to form the Jewish Security Alliance of NY/NJ.
The new partnership "formalizes existing relationships, establishes a streamlined process for information sharing on credible threats, and establishes mechanisms that will help bolster the safety of the entire community," organizers said.
The group consists of five area Jewish Federations in New Jersey and New York; ADL (the Anti-Defamation League); the Community Security Initiative (CSI) of New York, a joint program of UJA-Federation of New York and JCRC-NY; and the Community Security Service's Northeastern Division (CSS).
"The past year has seen multiple, serious threats against Jewish communal institutions in New York and New Jersey, some of which could have proven far more lethal had it not been for the diligent joint work of our community partners and law enforcement," Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement. "These threats serve as a reminder that we must remain vigilant against future attacks, which is why it is so important for our communal organizations to be working as closely together as possible on issues of security."
Last week the ADL released a report showing a 39% spike in antisemitic incidents in New York in 2022.
New York and New Jersey came in first and third, respectively, among states having the highest number of reported antisemitic incidents.
Antisemitic incidents in New York increased to 580 in 2022, according to the ADL. Assaults rose to an alarming 72.
The Jewish Security Alliance says it now has dozens of analysts.
"And they may also be connecting dots, there may be incidents in Rockland or Nassau County and Southern New Jersey and because of the geography and different jurisdictions, no one law enforcement agency will necessarily know about it," said Mitch Silber with the Community Security Initiative.
Also among the embedded analysts is one from GLAAD. The Jewish security alliance shares intel with the LGBTQ community and the Asian American Foundation because they say all different forms of hate are all interconnected.
RELATED | Anti-Defamation League reports 39% spike in antisemitic incidents in New York in 2022
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