Richard Priem: The ‘age of security’ has ended for US Jews
Deputy Editor Amanda Borschel-Dan is the host of The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, What Matters Now and The Reel Schmooze podcasts, and heads up The Times of Israel’s features.
Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with CEO of Community Security Service Richard Priem.
While guarding his Dutch synagogue as a 17-year-old, Priem knew there were two places where Jews wouldn’t experience antisemitism: Israel and the United States. Whereas in Europe, Jews regularly must go through security checks and metal detectors before entering community venues, he was sure the Jewish state and the Goldene Medina were different.
That “age of security” for US Jewry changed around the time of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting, he said.
This is where his NGO steps in: Founded in 2007, the not-for-profit aims to empower Jewish volunteers and strengthen their communal security toolboxes to prevent attacks and de-escalate situations as they arise.
As Priem, a former paratrooper in the IDF, puts it, who better to preemptively ascertain something is amiss than the community regulars themselves?
In this episode, we hear real-life examples of how CSS volunteers saved lives. Later, Priem lays out a hypothetical plan to secure Borschel-Dan’s upcoming speaking gig in Chicago.
We learn about the need for “digital hygiene” and how a force of thousands of volunteers — and growing — is allowing Jews to be loud and proud again.
And so this week, we ask Richard Priem, what matters now.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.
Check out the previous What Matters Now episode:
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Richard Priem, CEO of the Community Security Service (CSS), stated in a recent interview that the “age of security” for US Jewry ended around the time of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting. Priem, who previously believed the US and Israel were immune to the antisemitism prevalent in Europe, now emphasizes the need for Jewish communities to enhance their security measures. His organization, founded in 2007, trains Jewish volunteers to prevent attacks and de-escalate situations. Priem highlighted the effectiveness of community regulars in identifying potential threats, stating, “who better to preemptively ascertain something is amiss than the community regulars themselves?” The CSS aims to empower thousands of volunteers, enabling Jews to be “loud and proud again” through improved security and “digital hygiene.”
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