The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently named Orthodox Union Executive Director for Public Policy Nathan Diament to a newly created Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities. Diament is among 11 representatives of diverse American faith communities and law enforcement leaders serving on the subcommittee.

The subcommittee, part of the department’s Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), was formed in light of recent attacks against synagogues, churches, temples and mosques and will focus on the security of faith-based organizations across the country.  It will provide findings and recommendations that will assist the DHS in identifying additional lines of effort needed, validating the Department’s prevention framework currently being developed, and examining whether the Department’s capabilities need to be adjusted to account for the threat posed by domestic violent extremists in order to keep houses of worship safe, secure and resilient.

“The security of our synagogues and other houses of worship is paramount, as is our right to freely practice our religions without fear,” said Mr. Diament. “I hope my service on this advisory subcommittee will help ensure all Americans of faith are secure in their places of prayer.”

Said Orthodox Union President Mark (Moishe) Bane, “We are grateful to the Department of Homeland Security for allocating so much time and many resources to the safe-keeping of our synagogues and other houses of worship. We are proud that Nathan Diament will be able to lend his extensive expertise in this area to the Secretary of Homeland Security.”

Said Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Allen Fagin, “With the tremendous and very troubling increase in violence against our communities of faith in recent years, we are very pleased that one of our top leaders will be part of this federal enterprise to combat the hatred we have witnessed from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Poway, California. The DHS’s new Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities will be well served with Nathan Diament as part of its team.”