Jewish Security Group Holds Global Summit

By JTA June 16, 2014

The security arm of U.S. Jewish groups held its first International Security Summit in response to recent attacks on Jewish communities.

The Secure Community Network, or SCN, convened the convocation of more than 80 senior government and law enforcement officials, homeland security and community leaders in New York last week in the wake of violent attacks targeting the Jewish communities in Kansas and Brussels.

The convocation was part of the second annual SCN Security Leadership Summit hosted by The Jewish Federations of North America. It brought together a global network of senior security professionals and leaders from seven European countries to discuss and coordinate best practices and strengthen partnerships to protect Jewish communities.

“Damage done by extremist violence and intimidation cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injuries or dollars,” said Paul Goldenberg, national director of the Secure Community Network. “For this reason, extremist and ideologically based violence requires a special response from law enforcement and community leadership.”

The Rutgers University School of Law, a co-sponsor of the meeting, announced plans to conduct an assessment of violence against religious and minority communities and study how best they can help combat the threats associated with extremist violence and ultranationalist activities in Europe, South America and the United States. The initiative is being supported by the Miller Family International Initiative Fund at Rutgers School of Law-Newark and the Institute for Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security at Rutgers.

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