Antisemitic DC Attack: Protecting the American Jewish Community
On May 21, a gunman ambushed and killed two young Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. following a social gathering for young Jewish professionals. The alleged shooter shouted “free Palestine” and “I did it for Gaza.”The horrific incident stunned but did not surprise many Americans and Jews globally. In the wake of the October 7 attack, shockingly hostile anti-Israel rhetoric and outright antisemitism targeting American Jews has led many to fear a violent attack like Wednesday’s shooting was just a matter of time. JINSA hosted an emergency webinar to discuss the necessary next steps to better protect American Jews, and how U.S. officials and law enforcement can help play a role. The conversation featured Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson, a 2024 participant in JINSA’s Homeland Security Program, and Steven Pomerantz, Director Emeritus of JINSA’s Homeland Security Program and former head of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Section. The conversation was moderated by Leo Nayfeld, JINSA’s Managing Director.
Founded in the wake of 9/11, JINSA’s Homeland Security Program forges a “best practices” exchange between the U.S. law enforcement community and expert Israeli counterterrorism practitioners, and connects program participants—law enforcement executives from municipal, county, state, and federal agencies—with local Jewish institutions and leaders to strengthen security and relations across the country. To date, JINSA has educated more than 200 law enforcement officers on trips to Israel and more than 10,500 through conferences in the United States.
Sheriff Eric Severson Sheriff Eric Severson is a 2024 participant in JINSA’s Homeland Security Program and Sheriff of Waukesha County in Wisconsin. Sheriff Severson has served as a law enforcement officer for 32 years. Sheriff Severson maintains executive oversight of all activities of the office to include sworn operations, jail, work-release and administrative functions and has served in the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office for more than 30 years; 25 of those years in supervisory and command positions throughout the department. In addition to patrol command assignments, Sheriff Severson has commanded the department’s Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Unit, Tactical Enforcement Unit (SWAT), K9 Unit and was the founder and first President of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Canine Handler Association (WLECHA). Sheriff Severson holds two bachelor’s degrees from UW-Platteville in both criminal justice and technical communication. He holds a minor in business administration. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Class 219, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Unit Commander Academy. Sheriff Severson also graduated from the National Sheriff’s Academy in Aurora Colorado. |
Steven Pomerantz Steven Pomerantz is Director Emeritus of the Homeland Security Program at JINSA, which brings high ranking American Law Enforcement Executives to Israel to study best practice counterterrorism methodology. He retired from the FBI in June 1995 after a career spanning twenty-seven years. During that time period he rose from a field investigative Special Agent to the rank of Assistant Director, the third highest position in the FBI at the time. Mr. Pomerantz has represented the FBI and the law enforcement community on numerous occasions in a variety of settings both domestically and internationally. He is an expert in the area of terrorism as well as criminal justice information. |
Leo Nayfeld Leo Nayfeld joined JINSA in 2014 and serves as the organization’s managing director. Prior to joining JINSA, Leo spent time at two prominent think tanks in Washington, in Congress, and at various other organizations. A native of Cincinnati, he holds an M.A. in International Politics with a concentration in security from American University, as well as a B.A. in Political Science from Miami University. |