09/25/2026
Security is a Shared Responsibility
A JFC Security, LLC security officer stands watch over a recent event at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike. Submitted photo
Rachel Glickman | SPECIAL TO THE CJN
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
Glickman
As Jewish communities around the world continue to navigate rising concerns about safety, I am reminded that security is not simply about protecting buildings. It is about protecting the people and sense of belonging that make those buildings feel like home.
We are fortunate to live in Cleveland, a Jewish community that understands keeping one another safe requires a layered approach. Security officers and law enforcement are essential, but they cannot be everywhere at once. Security technology is also important. But training saves lives.
That is why the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, in partnership with its security provider – JFC Security, LLC – launched a program to train security volunteers at local synagogues who can provide an added layer of protection for their fellow congregants.
The idea is straightforward: equip members of our community to serve as additional eyes and ears, working alongside professional security staff and law enforcement to identify potential concerns, respond effectively during emergencies, and help ensure our congregations remain welcoming places to pray, learn, and gather.
Volunteers are not being asked to become police officers. They are trained to recognize situations that warrant attention and respond appropriately. Their hands-on training includes, among other things, physical security techniques, emergency preparedness and situational awareness.
This program has been recognized nationally as a model for integrating trained volunteers into professional security operations. What matters most to me, however, is what it represents here at home: a community that recognizes that we all play a role in looking out for one another and is committed to investing in one another’s safety.
And that investment begins with donors to the Campaign for Jewish Needs.
When someone makes a gift to Jewish Cleveland’s annual Campaign, they help make programs like this possible. Their generosity supports the security infrastructure, professional expertise, training programs, and community partnerships that help protect Jewish life in Cleveland.
That is the power of our community’s annual campaign. It transforms generosity into action, addressing the challenges our community faces today while preparing us for tomorrow.
By bringing together trained volunteers and professional security officers and law enforcement in our synagogues, we are strengthening the safety and resilience of our community, so people feel safe celebrating holidays and maintaining our traditions together with families and friends. I hope you will join me in making a meaningful gift to the campaign this year so we can continue protecting the places and connections that make life here so vibrant.
