How secure are we?

KELLEY KORBIN

According to the RCMP, there are at present no immediate or impending threats of any kind to the security of Vancouver's Jewish community. Yet anyone celebrating Yom Ha'atzmaut this week will have noticed a visible security presence at many local Jewish facilities.

Behind the observable forms of security, most local Jewish institutions also have a host of other expensive surveillance technology in place – the cost for which is usually borne by congregants and clients. But most of these organizations don't want to talk about their precautions. In fact, numerous Jewish facilities contacted for this article declined to comment because they felt that any discussion about security would jeopardize their safety and the safety of their clients.

It's hard to get a handle on what actual risk there is to Vancouver's Jewish community. Every year, there are anti-Semitic acts. Eyal Lichtmann, executive director of Vancouver Hillel, told the Independent that his organization is regularly targeted by vandalism and added that there have been times when he was afraid for his safety at work. Although, he said that Hillel students' work to "de-mystify" Judaism has made enormous strides over the past year in changing the anti-Israel atmosphere on campus.

According to B'nai Brith Canada's Annual Audit of Anti Semitic Incidents for 2007, anti-Semitism is indeed on the rise, with an 11 per cent increase in such incidents (including harassment, vandalism and violence) last year over the previous year nationally and a 42 per cent increase in British Columbia during the same period, including the deliberate vandalism of two synagogues. Moreover, the audit, which is complied from reports to B'nai Brith's anti-hate line and communication with Jewish institutions and police forces around the country, found that, once again, the Jewish community was disproportionately targeted, compared to other ethnic and religious groups.

Even so, Romy Ritter director of Canadian Jewish Congress Pacific Region (CJCPR), echoed the RCMP in saying, "To the best of our knowledge, there is no increase in the threat level against our community at the moment and there are no known security threats." However, she cautioned, "It behooves our institutions to always remain vigilant."

To this end, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver (JFGV) has teamed up with CJCPR to provide $100,000 over two years for a Security Allocation Fund, which will provide security audits and training for local organizations and synagogues. "Personally, I think it's a natural evolution from 9/11," said Shelley Rivkin, associate executive director of community affairs for JFGV. "North America became increasingly more security conscious as a result of 9/11 at every level."

The main impetus behind the new funding though is the 2006 shooting in the Seattle Federation office, where one woman was killed and five others injured. Rivkin said that, while many institutions have the hardware – cameras, lighting and physical barriers – their employees lack the knowledge to deal with a potentially threatening situation while also maintaining openness with the public.

The federal Conservatives and Liberals have both recently recognized the role that government has to play in providing assistance for security measures in ethno-cultural institutions in Canada. Last July, the Conservatives earmarked $3 million from the Ministry of Public Safety for the Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program (SIP). SIP is a two-year pilot project to assist eligible institutions and places of worship with security infrastructure and minor safety construction costs. So far, funding has been approved for 11 institutions across the country, comprised of one Muslim, two Sikh and nine Jewish organizations. Allocations to Jewish facilities total $216,000, but none to Vancouver to date.

Under the leadership of Susan Kadis, member of Parliament for Thornhill, Ont., the federal Liberals recently struck a task force to examine the issue of security funding for communities at risk. Kadis told the Independent that she travelled to six provinces and met with people from numerous communities to hear firsthand their concerns. Kadis said she heard testimony persuading her that threats to the safety of minority communities result in both physical and psychological trauma of not just the affected community but of other minority groups. As a result, the Liberals have made a campaign promise of $75 million for security measures in at-risk, nonprofit organizations, up to $250,000 per institution.

CJC, B'nai Brith and JFGV all applaud both SIP and the Liberal's promise, but are concerned there is not nearly enough funding.

Anita Bromberg, director of the legal department at B'nai Brith, said, "We were very positive when the government came out with their plan, albeit with the limited numbers, because it's something that we've long advocated; that there's a government responsibility in this.

"Security is important and necessary. It's a right. Under the Canadian Charter [of Rights and Freedoms] an individual has the fundamental right to security. It's as much a right as free speech or anything else. From our point of view, that means when the whole community is threatened the government has an obligation."

She added, "The answer [to anti-Semitism] is to continue being proud and standing up and demanding the support of the government through security funding and making sure that your institution is as vigilant as it possibly can be."

B'nai Brith's anti-hate hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-892-2624. The organization urges anyone who is a victim of anti-Semitism, hate or racism to report the incident. Organizations interested in learning more about SIP funding should visit www.publicsafety.gc.ca.

Kelley Korbin is a freelance writer living in West Vancouver.

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