As new incidents of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and schools, desecration of Jewish cemeteries, and anti-Semitic graffiti have continued in recent days, the Jewish Federation continues to stand in support with members of the extended Jewish family and all victims of bias, hate, and terror – whomever and wherever they are.

As reported in our February e-newsletter, the Federation applauds members of the U.S. Congress from Monmouth and Middlesex counties who have joined the bipartisan taskforce for combating anti-Semitism. If your representative has already done so, you may want to take a moment to thank him or her. If they have not, perhaps you might reach out and encourage them to do so. The taskforce is a bipartisan organization of House members that provides information on legislative issues related to anti-Semitism and facilitates contacts with international governing bodies, U.S. and foreign government officials, and civil society groups involved in the fight against anti-Semitism.

Additionally, the Federation recognizes and is proud to support our valued partner, SCN – the Secure Community Network, which is exclusively dedicated to the homeland security of the American Jewish community. SCN works hand-in-hand with the men and women of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FBI, and state and local law enforcement in this shared mission. Over the last 12 to 18 months, this Federation has worked together with SCN and the full gamut of our local and Federal public safety and law enforcement partners to provide access to 16 different safety and security-related trainings, workshops, and simulations for Jewish organizations in the heart of NJ.     

In just the last month, members of the SCN team have been on the ground with numerous Federations, JCCs, synagogues, schools and other community organizations across the country. For those that have been the targets of the bomb threat campaign over the past month, SCN has provided hands-on assistance. In early January, SCN coordinated and hosted a national bomb threat response webinar with DHS and FBI attended by nearly 900 organizations.

The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey would not be able to partner with SCN, support SCN, or make SCN’s and other security resources available to the Jewish community in Monmouth and Greater Middlesex counties without the financial support we receive from contributors to our local Jewish Federation. Donor contributions make this possible.

We are grateful to all our security, safety, and law enforcement partners and to all donors who support the Jewish Federation’s annual campaign to raise the critical dollars needed to secure and sustain Jewish life today and for generations to come. As we echo our sentiments from our statement in January when the first wave hit, we continue to stand with all innocent victims of hatred and terror and commit to continuing to do our utmost to support a vibrant Jewish community.