Since July 2024, CJP’s Communal Security Initiative (CSI) team has provided incident response support to 140 calls, emails, and events, ranging from cyber concerns to property vandalism to personal threats and violence. Additionally, CSI has provided over 440 consultations regarding security concerns with community leaders and members. With over 100 years of law enforcement experience, five CSI staff are often an initial contact from Jewish organizations experiencing security challenges.
The incident below is one real-world example of how CSI’s experience, responsiveness, and relationships benefit Greater Boston’s Jewish community.
It’s 6:40 p.m. and dinner is just on the table when Jeremy Yamin, CJP’s vice president of security and operations, gets a phone call. He glances at the number quickly to see who it is, recognizing it as a community leader he hasn’t heard from in a while. He recalls that the last time they spoke, it was an urgent matter.
Jeremy answers the call, and the leader shares a developing situation—there are 150 Jewish community members about to convene at a Boston-area establishment (at 7 p.m., in just 20 minutes), and they just learned that anti-Israel demonstrators are converging to protest.
CSI jumps into action. Jeremy connects with Dan Levenson, CSI’s director, and they quickly agree on next steps. That leads to a call to the Boston Police Department – Boston Regional Intelligence Center, an organization with which CSI has developed and maintained excellent relationships and partnerships.
Officials provide the cell phone number for a senior officer for direct support and dispatch officers to the event location. CSI speaks to and coaches event staff on how to react, respond, and communicate with local authorities.
Through the phone, Dan hears shouting as the protesters are trying to enter the site. Law enforcement arrives quickly and helps to ensure appropriate and peaceful protest outside while event participants arrive and are able to enjoy the event inside.
Within 20 minutes, what could have been a challenging situation for event staff, community members, protesters, and law enforcement is mitigated and managed seamlessly. Unusual circumstances? Not for CJP’s CSI team.
Jewish organizations throughout Greater Boston and the newly formed Expanded Service Area (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont) have an assigned CSI regional security advisor to connect with to assist with security incidents, as well as provide consultations, assessments, training, and more. CJP’s CSI is proud to partner with community leaders to support the safety and well-being of the organizations they represent.
To learn more about CSI team members, trainings, and consultations, visit CSI’s website.
