Community & Security Initiatives

Community

 

Interfaith and Intergroup Initiative

The Interfaith and Intergroup initiative creates and strengthens understanding, respect and unity among different faith and ethnic communities.  To foster this, the Council is involved in various programs including serving as a key partner with AJC Westchester/Fairfield and others for the annual Westchester Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast; facilitating the Interfaith/Intergroup Roundtable; and continuing to be a supportive organization for our interfaith friends and leaders in the community.

Annual Senior Citizen Hall of Fame Ceremony

The Westchester County Government honors the achievements of senior citizens from throughout the County in an annual awards celebration.  The names below highlight the seniors who the Westchester Jewish Council nominated.

2017 Irwin Davison
2018 Harriet Zeller
2019 Barry and Tova Effron
2020 Betsy Landis
2021 Donald Fleishaker
2022 David Alpert
2023 Joyce Claar
2024 Arnold Linhardt

 

Security

The Westchester Jewish Council devotes significant work on community security and awareness:
  • We work closely with security professional William Hayes, who is part of the Community Security Initiative (a joint program of UJA, JCRC-NY and in Westchester with the Westchester Jewish Council).
  • We host the “Emergency Communication System” to alert our member organizations and their trained professionals of an emergency situation
  • Security audits are available by CSI for all of our member organizations. Contact us for more information.
  • We host security roundtables to update members on the latest news, techniques and training in security.
  • We develop relationships with other faith-based organizations to combat hate.
  • We work closely with County wide law enforcement as needed.
  • We work in close coordination with our member organizations such as CSS and ADL as well as JCRC, UJA and SCN, etc. (You may not know all these organizations but these are all world class wonderful partners and resources for the Council and community.

Please send any security questions/concerns to security@wjcouncil.org.

Here is a list of security resources:

DHS: www.dhs.gov/hometown-security

FEMA: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS907.asp

DHS: https://www.dhs.gov/cisa/school-safety-and-security

SCN: https://securecommunitynetwork.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0b3c7e1421bd2734b0610a1fb&id=ee68ff9d1a

ADL: https://www.adl.org/sign-up-to-receive-adl-email-newsletters

JCRC-NY: https://groups.google.com/g/jcrcsecurity

CSS: https://www.thecss.org/

CISA: https://www.cisa.gov/employee-vigilance-power-hello

CISA: https://www.cisa.gov/

FBI Active shooter video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55v7fP5nn9c

CSI Overview/Initiatives

  • In the wake of the violent attacks against Jewish targets in Pittsburgh, Poway, Jersey City and Monsey, during 2018-2019, the UJA Federation of New York (UJA) and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) created a new security initiative to better protect the Jewish communities in the greater NYC area. The Community Security Initiative is a multi-year program, which covers Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and the five counties of New York City. Its goal is to enhance security by: improving the physical security of institutions, providing staff training, providing threat intelligence, assisting with assessments and grant applications, enabling connectivity with law enforcement and supplying real-time communication. To read the full CSI overview, please click here.

 

10/23  – As a Regional Security Director for Westchester and Bronx, William J. Hayes has years of experience and knowledge in the field of security. In his latest article, he shares his thoughts on the best practices that you can implement to improve your security – Fixing Roofs and Planting Trees.

 

Here are some recent resources and articles that were used during security presentations and training:
CISA-Active-Shooter-Pocket-Card-052022-508
CSI Pre-High Holiday Security Preparation Webinars
We must remember to focus on security again and again – Jewish Community Voice