Community Security Service (CSS) is an American nonprofit organization that provides security to the Jewish community in the United States, primarily through trained community volunteers. The group was founded in 2007. As of December 2022, CSS fields over 2,000 active volunteers in more than 150 synagogues across the U.S. In 2021, CSS helped the

NYPD The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

identify the suspect responsible for a series of vandalism incidents targeting synagogues in

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. In November 2022, CSS worked with law enforcement and community partners including

Community Security Trust The Community Security Trust (CST) is a British charity whose stated mission is to provide safety, security, and advice to the Jewish community in the UK. It provides advice, training, representation and research. Founding and mission The Commun ...

, the Community Security Initiative, and the Anti-Defamation League in the arrest at New York City's

Penn Station Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station may refer to: Current train stations * Baltimore Penn Station * New York Penn Station ** Pennsylvania Station (1910–1963), the predecessor to the present New York City station * Newark Penn Station Train ...

of two men, in possession of weapons, who were plotting to attack the Jewish community.

Partnerships

In September 2020, CSS and the Community Security Initiative (CSI) announced an "operational partnership" to "synchronize field operations, coordinate deployments of volunteers, share intelligence, and conduct both joint training and joint tabletop exercises." CSI is a joint initiative of

UJA-Federation of New York UJA-Federation of New York ( United Jewish Appeal⁣ – ⁣ Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, Inc.) is the largest local philanthropy in the world. Headquartered in New York City, the organization raises and allocates funds annual ...

and the

Jewish Community Relations Council A Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is a locally based Jewish public affairs organization that carries out "action agendas on behalf of and in the name of the local Jewish communities." Councils may aim "to represent the consensus of the or ...

of New York. In April 2021, CSS co-founded the Interfaith Security Council, a coalition of New York City faith-based organizations that promotes communal security and combats

violent extremism Violent extremism is a form of extremism that condones and enacts violence with Ideology, ideological or deliberate intent, such as Religious violence, religious or political violence. Violent extremist views often conflate with Religious violen ...

. In September 2021, the Anti-Defamation League and CSS announced a partnership to improve the safety of the American Jewish community. In March 2022, CSS announced it had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the

Secure Community Network Secure Community Network (SCN) is a Jewish security organization in North America. It works with hundreds of synagogues to provide safety guidance and threat intelligence. SCN liaises with law enforcement and other organizations to provide best p ...

(SCN), which "recognizes CSS as the volunteer security partner of SCN and calls on both organizations to promote each other’s efforts."

References

External links

* {{Official, https://thecss.org/ 2007 establishments in the United States Organizations established in 2007 Opposition to antisemitism in the United States