09/12/2025
New Synagogue-Based Security Program Taking Hold in Cleveland
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News.
by Lydia Kacala
On Oct. 27, 2018, a deadly attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh shook Jewish and other communities everywhere. The ripple effect could be felt throughout the country the tragic events of that Shabbat morning dominated headlines and newscasts for days, prompting Jewish communities like Cleveland to take action.
Baratz
Following the attack, which killed 11 Jews and wounded six others, and was the deadliest attack on a local Jewish community in American history, Jewish Federation of Cleveland leadership asked JFC Security, LLC – Federation’s security provider – to develop a plan to increase community security, Oren Baratz, senior vice president of JFC Security, LLC, told the Cleveland Jewish News. Most of the plan was put into action immediately, but one aspect faced challenges getting off the ground – a volunteer security team at each synagogue in the Cleveland area to assist synagogue security staff.
“One of the components was that we are going to create a volunteer group in each synagogue that will be trained in order to assist the professional security staff at each facility as eyes and ears around the facility, and also to help deal with emergencies in each synagogue because we felt that it’s the right model,” Baratz said. “That was actually one of the things that, when we came to the synagogues and shared with them the whole comprehensive program, that was one of the expectations. And, I think we had challenges to create that component.”
While working on launching the volunteer security team, Baratz said JFC Security, LLC had to find the expertise during a time in which the organization was also focused on implementing other security measures. The COVID-19 pandemic also delayed the development of the program until about two years ago, when JFC Security, LLC felt it could start developing it.
Berkowitz
The program is in its pilot phase, with three area synagogues currently participating – Congregation Mishkan Or and Green Road Synagogue, both in Beachwood, and B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, Baratz said.
Hands-on training for the volunteer security teams covers a wide spectrum of topics, including physical security techniques, Stop The Bleed Training and reporting information to law enforcement/security. The volunteers also familiarize themselves with protocols and procedures regarding non-emergency and emergency situations at their respective congregations. These volunteers are an extra set of eyes to provide information to law enforcement personnel and security officers regarding any potential anomalies in and around their synagogues that may require further investigation.
Richard Berkowitz, chair of the security committee at B’nai Jeshurun, told the CJN it’s important for people to be invested in the security of their synagogue, and the training provides another set of eyes looking for “anomalies and suspicious activities.”
Dadoun
“The training, including presentations of situational awareness, run/hide/fight and Stop the Bleed, is applicable not only to the synagogue, but to everyday life,” Berkowitz said. “While we are in the beginning stages of recruitment, evaluation and development, we value our relationship with JFC Security and look forward to continuing to work with them to enhance the security of our synagogue and the greater Jewish community.”
JFC Security’s volunteer pilot is also drawing attention from the Secure Community Network, the official nonprofit dedicated to the safety and security of Jewish communities across the U.S. and Canada. John Piser, SCN’s deputy director of planning and preparedness, told the CJN the organization has been collaborating with Cleveland’s Jewish community to share best practices across professional and volunteer security spaces.
“Ultimately, these joint exercises on layered security are designed to ensure our sacred spaces remain welcoming and accessible,” he said.
Piser
Building on that partnership, SCN is expanding its popular Guardian training, a course designed for community members, including staff working at local facilities, with a new initiative that gives volunteers a structured way to support community security. Piser said the new training “enhances how volunteers are taught to combine hard skills with supported intelligence to anticipate and respond to threats.”
Both SCN and JFC Security point to Cleveland as a proof of concept, demonstrating how a professionally supported, community-led volunteer program can be scaled to strengthen security in other communities.
“Today’s threat environment demands that we expand our communities’ toolbox, so everyone knows how to proactively screen for and respond to suspicious activity,” Piser said.
A central cog to this layered approach, emphasized by both SCN and JFC Security, is ensuring volunteers have visibility to real-time threat which might impact their congregation’s operations. SCN provides this through its 24/7 duty desk and a growing network of regional threat centers. Cleveland’s Ohio Regional Intelligence and Analysis Center, recently named one of the first regional threat center participants, embeds analysts directly in the community to provide actionable guidance for volunteers, security professionals, and law enforcement.
As demand for trained volunteers continues to grow, SCN and JFC Security hope this model can be adopted across North America, giving communities a flexible, scalable framework to enhance both professional and volunteer security programs.
Rabbi Yael Dadoun at Congregation Mishkan Or told the CJN she believes anything enabling the community to take care of one another is worth the effort. She said she hopes the program brings about peace throughout different communities.
“At the risk of sounding trite, my hope is for peace,” she said. “My hope is for people taking care of one another – of all faiths, of all backgrounds. And, unfortunately, with some realities at this time, that’s not possible. We’re trying to build each other up – not just the Jewish community but the entire Cleveland community – and creating a safe haven for our children to run to play and to just be without having to worry about safety, and to just live life and experience joy and make our world a better place.”
