Saturday’s cowardly antisemitic attack against the historic Beth Israel synagogue in Jackson, Miss., is the latest reminder of something our community has been learning the hard way for nearly a decade: Security is no longer a peripheral component to building vibrant Jewish life. It is foundational.

For generations, Jewish federations focused their core efforts on education, social services, civic engagement, communal life and philanthropy. Security existed, but was typically limited to a few building guards and basic facility investments. 

That era is over. 

Today, security is a prerequisite for every aspect of communal Jewish life, which is why every Jewish federation is on the frontline of leading a comprehensive, local effort to keep its community safe. This effort has two, interrelated components: protecting our physical spaces and communal gatherings, and confronting the rise in antisemitism and incitement to violence directly through sustained relationships with civic leaders across government, education, business, media and law enforcement.

After another year of violence directed at Jewish institutions and gatherings, it is clearer than ever that keeping our communities safe must be our highest priority. Here are some of the considerations that will continue to shape the federation system’s role in protecting Jewish communities in the year ahead:

The cost of safety has dramatically increased

Five years ago, most federations invested relatively small amounts in security. Today, federations across North America are raising millions of dollars annually for security infrastructure, professional staff, intelligence sharing, training, hardened facilities and rapid-response capabilities. We estimate that Jewish communities spent $765 million in 2025 on physical security alone, which is why it’s critical that the government participate in the funding necessary to keep our communities safe. This figure doesn’t include the funding being raised to address growing needs in fighting antisemitism.

These are not optional expenditures, but rather essential investments driven by real threats, rising antisemitism and the responsibility of protecting Jewish life. The scale of today’s costs reflects the scale of today’s challenge. 

The front line of security is the local community

There are many factors that go into protecting a community, but the one indispensable element is that the front line must be fortified and prepared. We protect buildings, properly plan and staff events, and deter bad actors with visible physical security. There is no substitute for a strong, comprehensive community security initiative based at the local federation and serving all the organizations and institutions in a given geographic area. 

But that is just the foundation. National organizations train and support local security directors, establish best practices, gather intelligence, work with national law enforcement, train volunteers and more. Federations translate that expertise into action on the ground across Jewish life —  from synagogues to schools, JCCs, social service agencies and more. 

This national-local partnership model is essential to securing the frontline of Jewish life. In 2026, the strongest Jewish communities will be those that understand security as a networked and coordinated responsibility.

Confronting antisemitism requires deep relationships and civic activism

Perhaps the most important evolution in communal security is the recognition that physical protection alone is insufficient. The rise in antisemitism is directly responsible for the rise in incitement to violence and so must also be approached as a safety issue.

Federations have long established deep, sustained relationships with mayors, governors and other important elected officials. Unfortunately, the need for this work has grown in both quantity and quality. Antisemitism has spread so far and so fast into so many areas of society that were previously not sources of concern, so the depth and frequency of the conversations we must have with a wider variety of local officials and civic leaders has increased as fast as the news cycles move. These relationships are not transactional or reactive. They are built over time, rooted in a common interest in the well-being of the communities in which we live and activated when it matters most.

This is how we prevent antisemitism from becoming tolerated or normalized: not through statements after the fact, but through proactive engagement that ensures Jewish concerns are understood, respected and addressed within the broader civic fabric. In this model, federations are not merely communal institutions — they are civic actors, shaping the environment in which Jewish life exists.

Elevating Jewish leadership for this moment

Just as many Jewish leaders have risen to the moment in supporting Israel, so must they rise to the moment as leaders in broader society. 

Today, being a Jewish leader means being a civic leader. It means showing up not only in Jewish spaces, but in city halls, school boards, corporate boardrooms and interfaith coalitions. It means understanding how power and influence work, how relationships are built and how values are defended across civil society.

Jewish continuity has always depended on the ability to navigate the societies in which we live while standing firm in who we are. But the world changes,society changes and our communities change. So we must renew this important work, cultivating the leadership of professionals, lay leaders, donors and volunteers who will help our communities understand that fighting antisemitism and protecting the Jewish community go hand in hand. 

Looking ahead

As 2026 begins, the path forward is clear: security will remain a growing reality of Jewish communal life. The work of Jewish federations to meet this moment — leading locally, coordinating nationally and elevating leadership for a world that demands both vigilance and engagement — has been critical in protecting our community, but there is more work to be done. That is why this year we will continue to focus and deepen the investments we’ve made in security and communal infrastructure. It is the only way to ensure that Jewish communal life not only survives, but flourishes.

Shira Hutt is the executive vice president of Jewish Federations of North America.