The Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake was proud to be one of the co-sponsors the first-ever Anne Arundel County Standing Together Against Hate Conference. It was led by Dr. Nicola (Dr. Nikki) Smith-Kea, PhD. who leads the Anne Arundel County Hate Crimes Prevention Program. This historic gathering brought together law enforcement, faith leaders, survivors, and community members to tackle hate head-on.

For the Jewish community, building bridges with police specifically trained in hate crimes was invaluable. These relationships are already helping to address vandalism and threats in our area.

Meanwhile, in one of the sessions, Rabbi Ari Goldstein of Temple Beth Shalom shared the extensive work required to keep synagogues safe, leaving many of the 240 attendees surprised at the scope of preparation and security needed due to the threats........

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