CSG working with police
Kagan said he is confident with the support from law enforcement including for the upcoming October 7 commemoration events.
Jews in Victoria can attend Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services in safety according to Justin Kagan, CEO of the Community Security Group Victoria (CSG).
“We’ve been working for quite a few months now with Victoria Police to ensure that there is sufficient police resources for the Jewish community over the High Holy Days,” he said.
Kagan said he is confident with the support from law enforcement including for the upcoming October 7 commemoration events.
CSG has bolstered its own capabilities, with Kagan saying, “We’ve just done a very large recruitment, in fact, the biggest recruitment in our history.
“In the lead up to Rosh Hashanah, there will be an increased presence of CSG. You might not see us, but we will be around,” Kagan said.
He emphasised the goal of enabling the community to “feel safe to go about their Jewish lives” during holiday preparations.
Kagan also stressed the importance of community vigilance, saying, “If you see someone that you don’t know, go ask the rabbi or the president. Really simple things like keeping the door closed. If you walk into shule and it’s open, make sure you close it.’
Addressing concerns about this being the first High Holy Days since October 7 last year, Kagan expressed hope for normalcy, saying he hopes the Jewish community feels safe and secure to go about celebrating the High Holy Days.
“We don’t want people to walk around in fear. We recognise people are sad, we understand what people are going through, but we want them to feel confident,” he said.
Regarding the current threat level, Kagan noted there’s been no significant increase since last October. However, he cautioned about potential lone actors.
“We are worried about lone individuals that may have been radicalised over the last 11 months, and that’s what we’re keeping our eye out for,” he said.
To aid in community safety, Kagan encouraged people to use the CSG’s reporting app, JEAP.
He said, “If you see someone in the community that you don’t recognise, that is acting suspiciously, call the CSG, download JEAP, report it to us, so we can deal with it immediately.”
Kagan said the last thing he wants is to hear that people are not going to shule or to October 7 events because they are afraid.
“They should be proud to be Jewish and feel comfortable that with the CSG and Victoria Police, they are safe,” he said.
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