UJA- Federation of NY and CSI Allocate $400,000 to Local Safety Patrols

UJA-Federation of New York and the Community Security Initiative of JCRC-NY donated $400,000 right before Rosh Hashana to go toward an initiative to boost the efforts of three different Brooklyn Shomrim branches and one Shmira branch. 

The critical security funding, provided by UJA-Federation and private donors, as reported by BoroPark24 here will provide each of the four groups with a new patrol vehicle and associated costs and resources, including gas for the patrol vehicle, insurance, and an increased patrol presence in areas where visibly Jewish communities congregate.

"This effort will bolster security presence in areas where Jews are an easy target for would-be assailants. Additional vehicular support will create a deterrent effect and, hopefully, we can prevent attacks before they happen," said Mitchell Silber, Community Security Initiative executive director. 

The four groups participating in the program – Shomrim BoroPark, Flatbush Shomrim, Williamsburg Shomrim, and Crown Heights Shmira – were selected based on their security coverage of areas most vulnerable to anti-Jewish attacks.

"We are truly grateful for this generous donation and the assistance provided to help us deter bad actors who might otherwise harm the community," a Boro Park Shomrim coordinator shares with BoroPark24. " The main beneficiaries, though, are the residents of Boro Park who will now be better protected throughout the Yomim Tovim and beyond."

"We are incredibly grateful to the NYPD for their work to keep New Yorkers safe, but it is unrealistic to expect them to be able to cover every street corner 24/7, especially during the High Holidays. Shomrim have an excellent track record and provide critical security resources to our Jewish neighborhoods," said Hindy Poupko, UJA-Federation of New York's senior vice president of community planning and external relations.

According to ADL's 2022 Audit of Antisemitism in America, Brooklyn is the epicenter of physical assaults against Jews. In 2022, there were 111 reported antisemitic assaults in the U.S., and 52 of them, or 47 percent, were committed in Brooklyn.