The best community security efforts are the ones not talked about. The upcoming Minnesota JCC Community Safety Day isn’t going to give big-picture insights into how Jewish community security is conducted but will give the community a chance to learn how to be prepared for many eventualities.
“These are trainings, these are workshops, these are action steps that everyone can be taking towards their own safety and security,” said Seth Ozer, the facilities manager and safety officer at the Minnesota JCC. “Really, for a community or a person to be secure, we don’t just talk about the bad stuff, the worst-case scenario that could happen. It’s an all-hazards approach. It’s towards family planning for tornadoes just and power outages, just as much as it is fires and active shooter situations and kind of that worst-case thing.
“If we have these conversations, if we get people prepared, that’s the best thing we can do.”
The event is Sunday, Aug. 11, at the Minnesota JCC Capp Center St. Paul from 1-5 p.m. The full list of speakers and sessions is available on the Minnesota JCC website.
Ozer said that why the event is happening now is no surprise: the rise in antisemitism. ADL reported that there were nearly 8,800 antisemitic incidents in 2023 – the vast majority after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
The event planning started in May, and Ozer was able to bring on a number of partners to help put it together. In addition to a lengthy list of workshops and speaker sessions, there will be booths people can stop at from community agencies such as: St. Paul Police Department, FBI, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Family Services of St. Paul, the St. Paul Fire Department, Hennepin County Sheriff, Mendota Heights Police Department, and more. Vehicles will also be displayed from the St. Paul Police Department, St. Paul PD Bike Cops, St. Paul Fire Department, Jewish Community Relations Council, and BCA Investigators.
“We decided to host a Community Safety Day because it supports our mission of creating ‘programs and services that promote well-being and strengthen the community,” said Minnesota JCC CEO Stephanie Chauss. “This is a family-friendly event, and we want people of all ages to feel empowered, confident, and prepared when it comes to their well-being and safety.”
The JCC, having locations in two cities and two counties, means forging relationships with local and county law enforcement.
“The is a JCC event and we’re hosting it, but the workshops, the trainings, the exhibits are all by partner organizations,” Ozer said. “St. Paul Police experts are leading sessions. We have JFS, who’s leading sessions for what you can do to cope. We’re all triggered. We all get scared, we all have feelings. And what happens to you mentally and emotionally is just as important as everything that’s happening on the outside. It’s truly a community collaboration”
Ozer said that getting all of these community partners enthusiastically involved comes from a career spent forging relationships.
“Community partnerships really are what allow me and other professionals to do what we need to do,” he said. “In emergency management, we have a saying that we hand out business cards before you need to.
“The idea of the day is designed to be empowering, to build confidence and get people prepared,” Ozer said. “And when you look at the J’s mission of being inspired by Jewish values and having the programming that we’re offering to promote community strength and inclusivity, that’s what this whole event is based off.
