Dear Community,

On October 7th, the world was rocked by the news out of Israel: Hamas terrorists attacked a music festival, local towns and kibbutzim, killing over 1,400 Israelis and taking hundreds more hostage, including women, children, and the elderly. These events have stoked feelings of outrage, sadness, and fear, as we mourn those who have been lost. We also are once again faced with the reality of rising tides of antisemitism both locally and globally.  For instance, Hamas called for a “global day of jihad” after the attack, with the goal of killing Jews and destroying Israel. 

Our security response to these events has been swift and measured. While there is no immediate or direct threat to the Jewish community here in Buffalo, we have responded to this crisis by hiring armed, off-duty police officers to patrol both of our buildings during all open hours.  This has been beneficial to our members in providing a much-needed sense of safety; however, the cost to provide this service is around $1,100 per day.  As you can imagine, this unbudgeted item is causing significant strain.  While the war in Israel rages on, we also foresee the need for increased security now and into the foreseeable future.

A contribution today will help us continue providing the necessary security measures we have put into place while we look for a more permanent solution.  To make a contribution towards our security effort, visit Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo - All For One Donation- Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo (jccbuffalo.org).  Your gift made through this link will be restricted to the current security needs of the JCC.

If you have any questions, please contact Director of Advancement, Alexander Eadie, at [email protected] or 716-929-6258. 

Am Yisrael Chai!

Sincerely,

Irwin Gelman, PhD
President, Board of Trustees, Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo

Patricia Simonson
CEO, Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo