September 28, 2012

(JTA) – American law enforcement and homeland security agencies are distributing a Jewish community-prepared primer that details Jewish life and violent incidents directed at Jews in the United States and abroad.

The Secure Community Network, an initiative of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents, created the document, “Homeland Security Background Briefing: Building Cooperation, Understanding and Innovative Partnerships Between Law Enforcement and the American Jewish Community.”

The piece was funded by a grant from Implant Sciences Corporation and developed in response to inquiries and requests by national and local law enforcement agencies, according to the SCN.

The document describes Jewish life in general, describes the different branches of American Judaism and explains Jewish holidays. It also details violent incidents directed at American Jews and other Diaspora Jewish communities. 

Deputy Chief of Counter-Terrorism at the Los Angeles Police Department Michael Downing said in a SCN press release that the briefing is “an excellent resource guide” that will “help to build our human ring of steel around vulnerable communities to defend against current threats.”

Over the past few weeks, SCN has distributed the briefing to law enforcement agencies across the United States, ranging from local police to the FBI. The security briefing was endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which will share the report with police departments across the country. The US Department of Homeland Security distributed the primer to all 50 state representatives and posted it as a resource for training and education.

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