The recent hacking of the North Shore Hebrew Academy’s website in Great Neck is a reminder that anti-Semitic threats against our nation’s Jewish institutions are not just physical in nature. Cyberattacks against the Jewish community have long been a weapon in the arsenal of anti-Semites and extremists.
In the era of coronavirus, this threat is growing more serious by the day. Jewish community institutions, such as day schools, are particularly susceptible to incursions by hate-motivated cyber-intruders. Unlike major corporations, they do not have the infrastructure necessary to harden their networks and systems against cyberattacks or to respond adequately as these threats arise.
So, at a time when synagogues and day schools have largely moved from in-person services and classes to online, virtual events, what can be done to ensure that our institutions have the protections necessary to ensure that hatemongers, hackers and other bad actors are effectively kept out?
At ADL, we have been working on this issue for some months. In the aftermath of the Zoombombing incident where a white supremacist interrupted a webinar about anti-Semitism hosted by a Massachusetts Jewish student group — pulling down his shirt collar to reveal a swastika tattoo on his chest — our Center for Technology and Society reached out to Zoom and provided some suggestions for improving their technology to ensure that extremists were unable to disrupt such virtual events. Those recommendations were adopted, as Zoom implemented various software upgrades that have since been effective in helping to reduce unwanted party crashers.
Social media and other technology companies also have a role in stepping up to ensure that their platforms remove anti-Semitism and hate speech from their sites. While some platforms have taken positive steps, much more work remains to ensure these are hate-free zones.
Smaller Jewish institutions can also adopt practical steps to ensure the safety of their members and congregants. Simple, proactive steps, such as enabling multi-factor authentication for online accounts, routinely running antivirus or anti-malware software and using password management tools can go a long way to ensuring that their private data remains private.
State and federal legislators need to ensure that cybersecurity for all religious institutions — be it a synagogue, mosque, church or Sikh temple — is prioritized in legislation and covered in security grant funding. It is clear that Americans overwhelmingly support such legislation: a 2020 survey by the ADL found that 87% of Americans agree that the government should strengthen laws and improve training and resources for police on online hate and harassment.
Specifically, Congress can and should increase funding for nonprofit security grants for synagogues and other houses of worship, schools, and community centers. While cybersecurity enhancements are eligible for funding under FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, more funding specific to hardening technology systems should be made available to smaller houses of worship. Congress should ensure that smaller nonprofit religious institutions can easily apply for such funding without encountering red tape.
Cyberhate against Jewish institutions is a problem that will not go away on its own. But through a combination of heightened awareness among religious institutions, cooperation and support from the high-tech industry and enhanced government grants and law enforcement training, it is possible to minimize the likelihood of future incidents like that which traumatized the Long Island yeshiva.
Scott Richman is New York/New Jersey regional director of the Anti-Defamation League.
