Jewish summer camps across the United States are taking extra precautions to protect their campers and staff from potential antisemitic attacks, as the threat of violence and harassment against Jewish communities continues to grow.
JFNA launches LiveSecure project to enhance security for Jewish communities
The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) announced on Monday that it is launching a campaign to expand its security program to every federation in the country, an initiative that will cost $54 million. The project, called LiveSecure, aims to provide security to Jewish communities by training local dedicated teams, providing information and intelligence sharing, safety and security training, and resources for every Jewish institution in a community.
Currently, 45 of the 146 member federations are part of LiveSecure, a network of security offices that was established after a spate of deadly antisemitic attacks in Pittsburgh; Poway, California; Monsey, New York; and Jersey City, New Jersey. The new funding, to be raised over three years, will assist the 101 communities that have faced fundraising obstacles in establishing the security points in their communities so they too can join LiveSecure.
Jewish summer camps implement security upgrades and protocols
One of the beneficiaries of the LiveSecure project are the Jewish summer camps, which host thousands of Jewish kids every year. These camps have been sensing a rise in antisemitism this year and are responding by putting safety measures in place. Some of these measures include hiring armed security guards, applying for government security grants, training employees in lockdown and shelter-in-place drills, reinforcing windows, and installing entrance gates, lighting, and video surveillance.
In Cleveland, a pilot use of drones was launched to help in the protection of summer camps. “When we are required to provide security to hundreds of summer camps across the United States, located most often away from city centers, we have to come up with creative solutions,” Oren Baratz, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, said. He added that drones will assist in identifying suspects in city campuses and in nature parks where many of the camps operate.
Antisemitism concerns prompt calls for action and solidarity
The need for increased security at Jewish summer camps reflects the growing concern for the safety of American Jews amid a spike in antisemitic incidents. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), there were 2,024 antisemitic incidents reported in 2020, a 4% increase from 2019 and the third-highest number on record since ADL started tracking such data in 1979. The ADL also reported a 75% surge in antisemitic incidents in May 2021, following the escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas.
These incidents have prompted calls for action and solidarity from various leaders and organizations. At the JFNA General Assembly on Monday, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said: “There’s an urgent need to protect Jewish communities.” She also urged American Jews to stand up for Israel and not be intimidated by antisemitism. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives who has staked out a strongly pro-Israel posture within the progressive caucus, said: “We are sitting on a powder keg of antisemitism, and the Jewish community and all of us cannot afford to be complacent.” He also expressed his support for increasing funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides grants to nonprofits at risk of terrorist attacks.
The JFNA hopes that its LiveSecure project will not only enhance the security of Jewish communities but also preserve their sense of joy and freedom. “We want our kids to have fun at camp,” Baratz said. “We don’t want them to feel like they’re in a fortress.”
Category: News Meta Description: The article reports on how Jewish summer camps are increasing their security measures amid rising antisemitism in the United States. Slug: jewish-summer-camps-security-antisemitism
