GIVEN “OVERWHELMING REQUESTS” FOR PROTECTION, CSS EXPANDS MANDATE TO TRAIN, EQUIP, AND EMPOWER JEWISH STUDENTS ON CAMPUS

Amid the new reality of antisemitism and hostility toward Israel producing high vulnerability, CSS says “tangible action” is needed

The Community Security Service (CSS), the leading Jewish community-based security organization in the United States, has announced an expansion of its mandate. In addition to protecting Jewish institutions and events nationwide, CSS will provide self-defense and safety training for Jewish students at colleges and universities.

Since its establishment in 2007, CSS has offered professional-grade security training to Jewish community members, empowering them to protect their institutions and events. Demand for CSS’s services has surged recently, particularly following the events of October 7. To date, CSS has trained over 10,000 community members across the country. With recent data indicating that 73 percent of Jewish college students experienced or witnessed antisemitism last year, and 54 percent reporting feeling unsafe on campus, CSS is leveraging its expertise and resources to launch comprehensive training programs for students starting this fall.

As Israel’s detractors prepare to escalate their activities next semester, CSS will collaborate with national partners, local Jewish federations, Jewish Greek Life, Hillels, and Chabad on campus to introduce the following programs:

Self-Defense Training: A multi-class program based on the Israeli martial art Krav Maga will be delivered in partnership with campus organizations and conducted by professional trainers. This engaging, inclusive training is designed to build resiliency for its participants. Last semester, a pilot at six campuses with 85 students showed that 100 percent of participants felt more physically safe and confident participating in Jewish life. 

Situational Awareness and Safety Training: This training is focused on individual Jewish students and those affiliated with Jewish organizations on campus. A pilot with the Jewish fraternity AEPI over the summer demonstrated that 100 percent of surveyed participants felt more prepared to navigate and de-escalate hostile situations they may encounter on campus after completing the training. 

“We have received an overwhelming number of urgent requests from students over the past nine months, asking CSS to help counter the intimidation and harassment they face on campus,” said Richard Priem, CSS CEO. “From direct threats of violence to documented cases of assaults and vandalism, Jewish students are confronted with an unprecedented threat environment. Our goal is to offer free training programs that empower these students to feel prepared and push back against these trends.”

Students participating in CSS’s new campus initiatives will learn various elements of situational awareness and basic security procedures, including how to properly respond and deescalate threatening situations. They will also learn practical skills to keep themselves, their friends, and their environments safe. 

“We hope that students will take these lessons with them in their post-college lives, inspiring them to continue training and take an active role in their local Jewish communities, helping to keep their synagogues, institutions, and events more secure,” said CSS Chair Eddie Sugar. “These times call for tangible action to meet the moment to expand our work.”

About CSS:

CSS is the leading Jewish volunteer security nonprofit organization in the United States. Founded in 2007, CSS is focused on training volunteers in basic security procedures to help protect their institutions and events across the country. Through programs developed by foremost industry security experts, and tailored to various levels of interest and ability, volunteers learn to identify suspicious activity and prevent and respond to potential threatening situations in coordination with law enforcement and communal partners. To date, the CSS has a national network of over 6,000 trained volunteers protecting hundreds of synagogues and events each year, including over 10,000 community members trained across the United States. Visit thecss.org.