With preparations underway for high holidays and back to school/back to campus, and as the deadline for NJ's NSGP security grant applications approaches, our Security Initiatives team is out in the community - as always - with guidance, resources, and interventions to make institutions and their leaders more prepared and aware to enhance safety and security for a vibrant community.

Among the the many ongoing resources, trainings, and interactions being provided, of note this week are:  

FOR COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES 
As college and university students return to campus for the fall semester, Jewish Federation has developed Campus Security Best Practices. These guidelines complement engagement with administration and security officials to ensure students’ academic freedom and a non-discriminatory learning environment in the classroom. 

FOR JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS
Federation's Security Initiatives ensure our community's institutions are up-to-date on requirements and resources, and how best to access and use resources. Preparing for fall, we alerted Jewish Day Schools to a state mandate and a grant funding opportunity to satisfy the mandate for facility mapping for emergency incident response. 

GRANT GUIDANCE FOR NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS
We continue to guide community organizations working on NJ's fiscal year 2025 state NSGP nonprofit security grant applications due by Sept. 30, 2024, 11:59 p.m. With the next round of federal NSGP awards expected to be announced in the coming days, and their potential to affect applicants' eligibility or needs for state grants, Federation continues to be a resource for navigating the nuanced and potentially complex process of obtaining government grants for security enhancements.

In addition, Federation Security Initiatives recently provided Stop the Bleed® training for clergy across many faith traditions, met with campus security officials, and much more. READ MORE

Our JCRC Advocacy group, among its many other engagements, is meeting with high school and middle school superintendants to help them better address antisemitism before their new school year begins, and our Early Childhood Educators' Conference is set to take place the first week of September - this year focusing on how to teach about Israel from an early age.

For questions concerning security and antisemitism during the new year season, contact us.