The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh's board has signed off on a $150,000 bump in community security funding as part of more than $7.4 million in allocations for the coming fiscal year, raising its annual security investment to $350,000. Federation leaders say the additional cash will go toward more staffing and training for a security team that has steadily grown in response to rising threats. The move follows a series of vandalism, harassment, and other incidents that local officials and Jewish leaders say have pushed in-house protection costs higher.
What the new money will fund
As reported by CBS Pittsburgh, the extra $150,000 will help cover salaries for a deputy security director, a retired lieutenant from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and an embedded intelligence agent. Shawn Brokos, the federation’s director of community security, told the station the team has now grown to four people and that the added funds will support training, detailed threat assessments and a stronger response capacity. Brokos said that fully funding security for the entire region would run about $1.5 million a year.
Board sign-off and broader allocations
The federation's board formally approved the Community Campaign allocations at a July 9 meeting, the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle reported, committing more than $7.4 million to local programs, schools and overseas partners. According to the Chronicle, nearly $1.1 million will go to day schools and youth learning, while about $1.4 million is earmarked for services that support older adults and vulnerable community members. Jeffrey Finkelstein, the federation’s president and CEO, described the allocations as reflecting "the reality of the moment," the Chronicle reported.
State and federal grants still play a role
Local leaders point out that state and federal grant programs still supplement federation spending. Pennsylvania’s Nonprofit Security Grant Fund lists the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh among recommended award recipients for $150,000 in recent rounds. Those outside dollars typically cover hard costs such as reinforced doors, cameras and access controls, while Community Campaign money is used to pay for staffing and training. Federation staff continue to coordinate grant applications and argue that many institutions would struggle to absorb these security costs on their own.
Why federation leaders say more is needed
Brokos told CBS Pittsburgh that the security team now supports more than 60 brick-and-mortar organizations, traveling from site to site to conduct assessments and manage threat mitigation. She said the group has tracked about 150 security-related incidents in the region so far this year and that there have been nine attacks on the Jewish community nationally since last May, with authorities saying three additional plots were thwarted. Federation officials say that gap between what they view as essential protection and the money on hand is why they continue to press donors and work closely with law enforcement.
What residents should know
The federation says it will continue coordinating with Pittsburgh police and federal partners while posting security resources and updates for member institutions on its website. Officials emphasize that the new hires are intended to provide a shared layer of protection for synagogues, schools and community organizations even as longer-term fundraising continues. For institutional leaders, the federation remains the central clearinghouse for grant information and security guidance.
