Oren Baratz, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at the Jewish

Federation of Cleveland, is responsible for overseeing the

Community Security Initiative, leading the creation of one of the

most extensive security systems for Jewish communities around the

world.  For the past six years, these efforts include an operation

of highly-skilled retired policemen who provide on-sight guarding

and ongoing mobile patrol of the community, sophisticated camera

monitoring, and extensive partnership with local law enforcement.

The initiative has conducted on-site safety assessments and continues

to train Jewish synagogue professionals and other community

members who work and volunteer at Jewish institutions on protection

and crisis plans.

 

The Cleveland community has become a leader across the nation in security protocol and as such, Oren’s work included the creation of the first faith-based institution in the United States to hold a first-of-its-kind Department of Homeland Security simulation exercise, establishing the training as a potential model for others. It remains a center for training and onboarding new security Directors for other Jewish communities in the United States.

 

Oren also oversees the Department of International Operations, as well as the Departments of Government Relations and Community Relations for the Federation. He led the Strategic Planning Process of the Federation and the focus of its work in Israel, spearheading the development and implementation of the Federation’s STEM education initiative.

 

Additionally, Oren is on the Board of Global Cleveland, a community initiative for welcoming immigrants to Cleveland, and a member of the 2018 Leadership Cleveland Class. 

 

Prior to joining the Federation, Oren was Project Director for Atidim, focusing on closing the socio-economic gap among youth in Israel. He retired after 28 years of service from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in which he held a variety of positions. Oren also served as the Vice Consul of the Israeli Consulate in Toronto for three years.

 

Oren has an Undergraduate Degree in Middle-Eastern studies from Tel Aviv University.  He has an Executive Masters in Business from Kellogg Business School.