Everyone deserves to gather without fear.
Through professional expertise, deep law-enforcement partnerships, and a trained, watchful community, we keep Jewish San Diego safe, together.
Protecting Jewish life takes more than locks and cameras.
Jewish communities across the country face a rising tide of antisemitism and security threats. Meeting them takes coordination, professional expertise, real relationships with law enforcement, and a community that knows what to do.
A single congregation cannot reasonably build all of that on its own. Together, we can. By pooling expertise, intelligence, and resources at the community level, Jewish Federation of San Diego gives every Jewish institution in the region access to professional protection that would otherwise be out of reach, so no organization has to face a threat alone.
Turning relationships into readiness
Launched at SDPD headquarters, the Security Roundtable convenes 17 Jewish organizations on a regular basis alongside San Diego Police, the Sheriff's Department, and the FBI.
It is where intelligence is shared, plans are coordinated, and trust is built long before a crisis, so that when something happens, the whole community can respond as one.
Get involved →
Bill Ganley
Bill Ganley has led community security for Jewish San Diego since February 2023, serving through Federation's partnership with the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America.
Bill brings more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, including service as Deputy Police Chief in Salem, New Hampshire, command of major case investigative units, nearly two years undercover on a statewide narcotics task force across New England, and five years commanding the Humane Law Enforcement Team at the San Diego Humane Society, overseeing felony investigations across 14 San Diego County cities.
How we keep the community safe
Core services that back the safety of every institution with the strength of the whole community.
Threat Monitoring & Intelligence
Active relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement, plus national Jewish security networks. When credible threats emerge, partner organizations receive timely, actionable alerts. Not rumors, not panic. We translate raw information into clear guidance you can act on.
Security Assessments
On-site assessments of facilities throughout the community, evaluating physical security, access control, emergency procedures, and event safety. Each organization receives a practical, prioritized set of recommendations tailored to its building, budget, and needs.
Request an assessment →Training & Preparedness
Training for staff, clergy, lay leaders, volunteers, and community members: situational awareness, emergency response, de-escalation, and what to do during a critical incident. Preparedness is the single greatest factor in keeping people safe.
Find a training →Emergency Coordination
In a crisis, speed and clarity matter. We serve as a central point of coordination between affected institutions and law enforcement, helping ensure a fast, organized, and informed response when it counts most.
Grant & Funding Support
Many organizations qualify for security funding they never pursue. We help partner institutions identify, apply for, and manage security grants, including federal nonprofit security grant programs, so resources reach the places that need them.
Grant resources →Security Roundtable
Launched at SDPD headquarters, the Security Roundtable convenes 17 Jewish organizations regularly alongside SDPD, Sheriff, and FBI leadership, turning relationships into readiness.
Join the roundtable →Who we protect
The Community Security Initiative supports the full breadth of Jewish life in San Diego.
If your organization serves the Jewish community of San Diego, we are here to support you. Protection is offered as a service to the community, regardless of size or affiliation.
Together, We Build a Culture Where Our Unity Is Our Strength
Jewish communities across the country, including ours here in San Diego, face a sustained rise in antisemitic threats, harassment, and violence. Professional security will always be essential. Safety also depends on the people who fill our synagogues, schools, and community events every week, and on whether they know what to look for and what to do. The Kehillah Community Watch gives many more Jewish San Diegans the training and confidence to play a meaningful role in safeguarding Jewish life in San Diego.
The Kehillah Community Watch is a network of trained community members dedicated to safeguarding Jewish life in San Diego.
We embody the Jewish principle of Areyvut, collective responsibility. Our members commit to serving as watchful eyes and ears for their institutions and to understand how to best support them in the event of an emergency.
Creating a Culture of Readiness: About the Kehillah Community Watch Program
Our program rests on three pillars:
Required Training Modules
To become a recognized Kehillah Community Watch member, participants complete five professionally led training modules:
- 1
Kehillah Community Watch Overview
Program expectations, member responsibilities, and how to activate during community events.
- 2
Countering the Active Threat
How to respond effectively and decisively to active threat scenarios in community spaces.
- 3
Situational Awareness
Skills to recognize, assess, and communicate potential risks in your environment.
- 4
Stop the Bleed
Lifesaving techniques for traumatic bleeding emergencies and AED usage.
- 5
Kehillah Community Watch In Practice
Taking what you’ve learned in the other modules and applying it to the ways in which you’ll show up as a Kehillah Community Watch member.
The Kehillah Community Watch members are not professional security, but their vigilant presence makes us safer as a community.
The Symbol of Solidarity
Members who complete the curriculum receive the Kehillah Community Watch pin. By wearing it, they pledge to stay alert at Jewish community events and to have a plan of action for themselves and those around them.
Join the Kehillah Community Watch
Whether you’re just getting started or have already completed some of the modules, submit this short form and we’ll let you know about upcoming training opportunities.
What you can do
Security is not only the work of professionals. It is something every member of our community contributes to.
See Something, Say Something
You know your community better than anyone. A suspicious vehicle, an unfamiliar person photographing a building, a threatening message online. These are exactly the things we want to hear about. Reporting a concern is never an overreaction.
Report a concern →Stay Aware
Simple habits make a real difference. Know the exits in the spaces you frequent. Notice what is normal so you can recognize what is not. Keep emergency contacts accessible. Awareness is a skill, and anyone can develop it.
Get Trained
Community-wide training sessions run throughout the year, open to anyone who wants to be better prepared. Practical, accessible, and designed for everyday people, not just security staff.
Sign up for Kehillah training →Latest news
Recent stories from our News & Blog.
A partnership worth investing in.
When you invest in community security, you are not funding fear. You are funding the freedom to live full, open, joyful Jewish lives without looking over our shoulders. That is a future worth protecting.
