By JESSICA ANDERSON
As I’ve settled into this role, one of the recurring questions I receive is about the incidents that happen around town and across the state. I share examples of what gets reported to me and provide an average number of incidents per month. Besides sharing all incidents with Federation CEO Marc Blattner and SCN (for inclusion in national reporting numbers), I’ve often felt that locally, the list went into a “black hole,” save for sharing it with organizations preparing their Nonprofit Security Grant Program applications. Data interpretation can be subjective, but my conclusion is that the data shows we don’t have to be scared of being Jewish. It doesn’t mean nothing happens, but that incidents are typically low-consequence and do not occur between people in the physical world. It’s my opinion that the data supports this view, but I’ve long wanted more transparency so people could gauge that for themselves. 
I’ve recently settled on a solution that I hope will be helpful and informative. Starting this week, you’ll find a link to an ongoing list of incidents on the Security page on the JFGP website (https://www.jewishportland.org/security). While it’s not quite “live,” I intend to update it multiple times a month. The current version starts in January 2024 and covers incidents across the state. By the numbers, Portland sees the most incidents when compared to other cities. That’s partly a function of size and population but also could be the result of more familiarity with the incident reporting function on the JFGP website (also at the above link). Corvallis and Eugene have also dealt regularly with similar issues and their proximity and connection to the Oregon Bias Hotline often sends their reporting in that direction. 
What’s on the list? The list consists  mostly of incidents that are reported to me directly, or through someone else. I know there are inadvertent omissions in this first iteration, and I will reduce those moving forward. Additionally, I reserve the right to withhold an incident for some reason. I’ve added a few glossary items for awareness and will potentially use the list to communicate best practices where there are opportunities. You’ll also see that I’ve anonymized the submissions, which I felt was the right way to approach this public share. I promise you that incident specifics will continue to be shared with community leaders as they relate to community security. For example, if someone is seen suspiciously canvassing a synagogue, I’m going to share the specifics of that in real-time with leaders in the area. 
What’s not on the list? I have not included incidents that I’ve learned of from the DOJ Bias Hotline or the ADL. We three talk regularly and share information, but non-public incidents from another agency are not mine to share. I’ve also not shared every report of graffiti, protests, and posters/stickers. Generic phishing examples are not included and though cyber vulnerability awareness is a big gap for many non-profits, my focus is on incidents that are more obviously antisemitic. Occasionally, I’ll provide the outcome of the incident (an arrest for example), and I’m comfortable continuing that practice when I know it’s public information. In several incidents, police investigations occurred or are ongoing, and I’ve not indicated that. 
My goal for the list is that our community is more informed about what’s happening and tuned in to what they should be reporting. I’ll be looking to improve on this process and if you have any suggestions or feedback, please feel free to reach me at janderson@securecommunitynetwork.org.