Dear Fellow Congregants,
 
Since the tragic events that unfolded at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, we continue to receive questions and suggestions about security at Beth Emet. The purpose of this letter is to update everyone on our existing and ongoing security arrangements.

As an initial matter, we want to share that the safety and security of the Beth Emet community is our top priority. We regularly review, evaluate, and adjust our security measures with the help of security professionals. Our goal is to strike the appropriate balance between being a synagogue that is warm and welcoming, as Abraham and Sarah were by welcoming strangers into their tent, with our need to be vigilant and take precautions to keep everyone within our building safe. 

Security measures that are not visible

We have long had in place an Emergency Response Plan that is reviewed and revised at least annually. This plan includes guidance on how best to handle a variety of scenarios - suspicious packages, intruders, active shooters, bomb threats, medical emergencies, fire procedures, severe weather, evacuations, and lock-down. Periodically we have various authorities including the Evanston Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security (Chicago branch) review our plan. We are currently undergoing a security audit to identify any deficiencies, remedy them, and update our emergency response manual. 

In the coming weeks, our entire staff and teaching faculties will undergo an intensive training with the Evanston Police Department, to learn in more detail how best to respond to active shooter situations. During the trainings we will be closing the building to conduct drills. The first training is for staff on Tuesday, November 27 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Please note the building will be closed during this time. Once all the staff has been trained, we are scheduling additional training's and guidance for our lay leadership, members of the Beth Emet community who are in the building regularly (including ushers and greeters), and then the larger Beth Emet community. If you have interest in attending any of these sessions, please let Bekki know.

Also, there are panic buttons posted in key locations throughout the building for staff and/or trained members to initiate should the need arise. 

Security measures that are visible

While we have long had security cameras posted at various points around the perimeter of the building, the T’rumah Capital Campaign and our Phase One building renovation afforded us the opportunity to install additional cameras inside and outside to cover the entire perimeter of the building as well as the parking lot. This also was supported, in part, by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. We plan for additional entrance access and egress security measures in connection with the Phase Two renovations next summer.

Except during key worship and school times, all of our external doors are locked. We use a buzzer system to enter the building and have cameras so that we can monitor who is seeking access. There are of course times when our doors are generally open, such as during worship and Beit Sefer (religious school), and other significant events. In partial response to the Pittsburgh shootings, we have instituted a new policy under which the doors are only open 30 minutes before the start time and 10 minutes thereafter. Butch Mayer, our Security Manager, will be posted at the door during these times. Should you ever find yourself unable to enter the building, please ring the after-hours button at the school/administrative entrance. Butch will also have a mobile device that will allow him to monitor security cameras throughout the campus. 

Our partnership with law enforcement and security organizations

We maintain a partnership with the Evanston Police Department, our liaisons at the Department of Homeland Security (specifically the Chicago department that has been assigned to the Jewish community), the Secure Community Network and the Anti-Defamation League. The Evanston Police Department has increased their watch of our building following the events in Pittsburgh, including regularly driving by the building or having a car in the lot, especially at night. We also routinely review regular briefings from the Secure Community Network and the ADL, and have reached out to them for assistance when questions of security arise that cannot be answered by local authorities. 

What can you do to help?
 
Safety and Security is a concern of everyone within our community, not just of the staff. A few points to note:

  • If you see something, say something immediately. If you notice someone or something that seems suspicious or the behavior seems odd, tell a member of our staff immediately. As they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry. 
  • Familiarize yourself with the exits. When you come to Beth Emet, it’s always good to check where is the closest exit to the outside of the building. 
  • To enter through the school/administrative entrance, please use the buzzer. There is one buzzer for office/school hours and one for after hours (e.g. for a night meeting or class). Please be responsive and patient when staff screen people at the entrance. Do not allow unscreened/unfamiliar visitors to follow behind you. It’s okay to say that they need to be buzzed in separately, and that they should ring the bell after you enter.
  • Do not prop doors open. If you see a door propped open, please close it.

We will continue to update everyone as our security assessment and planning evolves. In the meantime, please always feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or need any additional information. 

Thank you for your role in keeping our building safe and being part of the Beth Emet community. 

L’Shalom,

Ross B. Bricker                             Bekki Harris Kaplan
President, Board of Trustees        Executive Director
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