Crown Heights Vaad Hakohol Endorses New Shul Security Initiative: CHOSEN
Crown Heights, Brooklyn — June 29, 2025
In a landmark step toward strengthening communal safety, the Vaad Hakohol of Crown Heights has formally endorsed a new shul security initiative known as CHOSEN — the Crown Heights Office of Security and Emergency Network. Designed to augment the critical work already being done by local organizations such as Shomrim, Shmira, and the NYPD, CHOSEN offers a unified volunteer-based security model for local shuls, backed by professional-grade training and coordinated response capabilities.
Spearheaded by Meir New, a member of the Vaad Hakohol, CHOSEN was developed to utilize the Community Security Service (CSS) program — a nationally recognized organization that trains volunteers in synagogue security using industry-standard protocols. “We saw a gap in our community — not in dedication, but in coordination,” New explained. “CHOSEN is about giving our shuls the tools and training to be situationally aware, responsive, and unified.”
Through CHOSEN, volunteers from each synagogue will undergo regular training, led by CSS, in situational awareness, emergency protocols, and threat response. More than just reactive, the program fosters proactive, week-by-week intelligence briefings to help assess risk levels in real-time — especially critical during periods of heightened tensions.
“This initiative reflects our values of self-reliance and communal care,” said Shmuel Rosenstein, Chairman of the Vaad Hakohol. “We’re proud to stand behind CHOSEN as it brings a thoughtful, coordinated, and professional approach to shul security, without duplicating or replacing the vital efforts of Shomrim, Shmira, or the NYPD.”
The program aims to ensure every shul in Crown Heights has a trained volunteer presence. These volunteers will not only be trained but also become part of a centralized communication and analysis network, receiving threat intelligence and ongoing professional development in community security.
Key contributors to the rollout included Yudi Gruenburg, a well-known community activist who helped introduce expert advisors and shape the program's structure, and Meir Bukchin, who provided crucial support during development. The team also worked closely with security and emergency management professionals who chose to remain unnamed, helping to craft protocols that reflect both best practices and the unique needs of the Crown Heights community.
While CHOSEN is a grassroots community effort, it benefits from the rigor of CSS’s national framework, offering a high standard of volunteer readiness. “Being a CSS volunteer is a commitment,” New noted. “You’re not just standing guard — you’re part of an intelligence-sharing, skill-building, and deeply collaborative network.”
For those interested in learning more about CHOSEN or in signing up as a volunteer, community members are encouraged to email CHOSEN@chjcc.org. Volunteers will have access to multiple training sessions throughout the year, coordination with other shuls, and a broader platform for keeping their families and our community safe.
“CHOSEN is a community initiative, by the community, for the community,” Rosenstein concluded. “Together with our partners and volunteers, we are taking an important step toward a more secure Crown Heights.”
For press inquiries, email admin@vaadhakohol.org.
