PerpetualStudent
Since Aug 10, 2008

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I would like to speak about something that nobody in Orthodox Jewish world wants to speak about. There have been those before me who have added a political goal to this concept and have been shunned by the world and even the Jewish communities at least publically have as well.

What I’m talking about is the concept of community security.

With Global Warming causing natural disasters that are more powerful and more frequent than previous generations. With potential terrorism at our doorsteps and civil disobedience which both bring property damage, looting and physical violence including death within any of the above, the communities must educate themselves and to prepare as best we can.

NYC and FEMA have programs they call CERT Teams (Civilian Emergency Response Teams). These teams are the FIRST RESPONDERS to an incident and may remain in charge in the case where Government resources are cut off or unable to mobilize. These teams of volunteers are trained in Emergency Medical, Fire Suppression, Hazardous Materials, (in some areas Nuclear, Chemical and Biological) as well as search and rescue. They are also trained in the rationing of food and water supplies as well as evacuation and efficient communication with authorities.

THEIR EFFECTIVENESS COMES FROM THEIR PROXIMITY AND FAMILIARITY WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS and its needs or better put it’s RISKs and infrastructure.

The one thing the Government has not trained the civilians for is SECURITY.

It is not that well publicized how many of the dead after Hurricane Katrina were actually murdered for food, water, shelter and money. During the Rodney King riots there were 45 “looters” shot dead by innocent civilians protecting their families, homes and personal property. The most memorable of which were the Korean Grocers on the roof of their store keeping the looting crowd at bay FOR 9 DAYS. (while the police for lack of preparedness would not even enter the perimeter for fear of their lives),, and I won’t elaborate on the Crown Heights riots.

My goal is to bring awareness and TRAINING to each community from a security standpoint. Hurricanes are predicted. We have hours if not days to arrange a day off from work, evacuate if we choose or prepare to weather the storm. For those who stay, they should be familiar with WHO and who does NOT belong in their neighborhoods and to notify authorities immediately if your neighbors house has a moving truck in the driveway.

A famous story of a house in Boro Park where the family went to Eretz Yisroel for Pesach. A Moving van cleaned out the house and nobody noticed until the end when the carpets were being loaded… and when asked, they told the neighbor that they were the CARPET CLEANERS and were cleaning them for Passover. An easily avoided incident if the neighbors knew they were away.

I believe that people should become very familiar with their neighborhoods knowing who belongs and who does not. Every family should have an escape plan to a neighbors home or other safe haven. Every family member should have NAMES, ADDRESS and PHONE NUMBERS of these people. For little children it can be written on their back packs or engraved on a watch.

It is a Halacha that a parent teach their child to Swim. The Posuk Says “Lo Taamod al dam Rayecho”, and Shulcha Oruch learns out that if a person is drowning and you don’t know how to swim YOU STILL MUST MAKE THE EFFORT to save your friend, because HE is a VADDAY and you are only a SAFEK. If you teach yourself and your kids to swim even the SAFEK won’t exist.

On that note, I believe that every Jew should learn Emergency Medical not to become members of Hatzoloh (unless they want to), but to be the FIRST RESPONDER in their own homes. And if that is not enough, that knowledge may prevent someone from being Mechallel Shabbos by not calling Hatzoloh and having people answering phones and people driving etc.

I also believe that each parent is responsible to learn how to defend themselves physically (be it boxing, karate, krav-maga or the likes)

For the same reason I also believe that fathers of households should become trained in the safe use of a firearm and practice to be able to use it in a Close Quarters situation and to OWN, maintain and practice with at least one firearm.

Let me go back step for moment:

I CAN say that on 3 blocks during the Crown Heights riots back in 1991 there was no damage to property or lives. Not so random but because those three blocks had someone with a firearm that sat on their porch in rotation with neighbors and threatened to shoot anyone who did not belong. NOBODY discharged their weapons, and the blocks remained safe. It is the same philosophy why Dunkin Donuts don’t get robbed.

Let’s leave that for moment and step off to the other important education needed. Community members and especially Shuls, Yeshivos and other large buildings where many people congregate need to be educated in the proper responses to a “fire drill” and the big difference between a fire drill and a “bomb threat”.

Remember, a terrorist has a goal of MASS CASUALTIES and they spend every waking moment planning the best ways. We need to think like them and create safety programs to counter every possibility.

We all remember the fire drills from school, where the teacher would escort the class calmly and quietly out of the classroom, out of the school to a designated area where the entire school (or part thereof) would wait for the ALL CLEAR to reenter the building.

That might be perfect for a fire drill… where everyone is clear of the building, falling debris and out of the way of firefighters.

The terrorist however, is one step ahead. He never even has to get into the school. He just simply needs to make a phone call, and predictably he knows where you are going to be in 5 minutes. So, the bomb would be in 1 or more parked vehicles just where everyone lines up.

My point is that there needs to be a different level of training for the individual and his family as well as the directors and organizers of our precious Mosdos.

With all that said, a speech by Assistant Chief Michael Downing of the LAPD at a meeting of the Washington Club in June inspired me to undertake this mission. His speech was an admission that the largest cities (NY & LA) police departments and the Dept of Homeland Security all admit that Terrorism cannot be stopped. Good intelligence can prevent a great percentage, but they just don’t have the resources to be everywhere at all times.

He said they were looking for grass-roots movements to take up the “eyes & ears” part of fight.

By us knowing our communities and not just walking around with blinders in our own world, we might actually see something, some pattern of movement, some vehicle parked in the wrong spot or person. Some unknown person watching a particular building and taking photographs.

I have approached vehicles doing exactly that in front of Yeshivos and Shuls when I see it. ONE CAR sped away as I approached…but the other 9 or so times it was legitimate hired security watching from across the street.

We want to be able to offer this training FREE to anyone willing to learn. We are recruiting upstanding community members around the country. We are looking for a few good men. We hope that you will join your local community’s programs if there is one. If not, we hope that you will approach your local government official and ask them to start one. However, the firearms training you will have to do on your own.

Kitat Konenut does offer a 10 day summer camp in the Catskills where we teach those skills. We bring in Israeli soldiers to give the training. They also bring to the camp many other skills from Understanding the Terrorist mindset to the Rules of Engagement. From Combat Medical training to Civilian Responsibilities.

However, the goal is “individuals”. We are not looking to create a JDL or SWAT team of any sort. We don’t expect you to stand up and announce to the neighborhood that YOU are the one to run to. This is on each and every one of you, and if ONE person on each block takes up this effort, we will all be safe, allowing our families to go about their routines with security and confidence and allowing our children to go to yeshiva knowing fully they are prepared.

SO... am I crazy? Are we trying to do the right thing? Are we a militia or concerned group of Citizens? It depends. We live in the liberal left New York, so I”m still looking for the right direction.