The climate is tense in the Bay Area right now. As reports of antisemitic violence — a Lyft driver’s alleged assault, the burning of an Israeli flag at a rally, an out-of-control mob at UC Berkeley — make the rounds, people worry.
Giving Jews some tools to turn down the heat in volatile situations is the idea behind a free series of 90-minute, in-person security trainings set to take place at Jewish institutions throughout the Bay Area.
The trainings are designed for “anyone from teens to seniors who wants to understand how to bring a safety mindset to unexpected situations and play an active role in defusing difficult situations,” said Rafi Brinner, director of security at the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund in San Francisco.
According to the Federation, the trainings are a direct response to the rise in antisemitic incidents, globally and locally, since Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel and started the current war.
Participants can expect to learn tips, including how to de-escalate a situation before it turns violent, how to communicate effectively in stressful situations, how to navigate risk and when to seek help, Brinner said.
“These may range from handling a medical emergency or disruptive person to confrontations with a hostile individual or group, such as the protests and counterprotests we’ve seen in the last five months,” Brinner said.
The Federation has long provided security trainings to synagogues and Jewish organizations on handling, for example, active shooter or hostage situations. This is the first time it will offer trainings for everyday people, some of whom feel they’ve been thrust into unexpectedly tense situations as anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents have ramped up over the past several months. The Federation hopes these training sessions can help.
“With the rising instances of antisemitism and confrontational protests after Oct. 7,” Brinner said, “we want to make sure all in our community, regardless of affiliation, have the skillset to navigate this environment safely and securely.”
The free workshops will take place across the Bay Area:
• East Bay at Chabad of the Tri-Valley in Pleasanton on March 31
• North Bay at the Osher Marin JCC in San Rafael on April 1
• Peninsula at Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame on April 2
• San Francisco at the JCCSF on April 3
• South Bay at Jewish Silicon Valley in Los Gatos on April 4
San Francisco’s Federation and Jewish Silicon Valley are sponsoring the workshops. Registration is required. Stuart Frisch, a national training and exercise adviser with the Secure Community Network, will lead the workshops. SCN coordinates security for Jewish organizations in North America.