JUF names Daniel Godsel as new Security Director

As a key part of its community-wide security initiative, JUF has named Daniel Godsel as its Security Director. At a time of accelerating antisemitism and attacks against Jewish institutions, he will be leading the expansion of JUF’s security services across the entire Chicagoland Jewish community.

Godsel joins JUF after 29 years of service with the Chicago Police Department, including at the highest levels of the department, promoting reform under the federal consent decree, overseeing training, and commanding two diverse districts.

“We hired the best of the best to lead the next era of JUF’s security efforts,” said Lonnie Nasatir, JUF President. “What’s so special about Dan is not just his admirable and successful tenure with the Chicago Police Department, but his innate passion for nurturing communities and the understanding that securing safe spaces is absolutely fundamental for every aspect of life.”

Under Godsel’s leadership, JUF will augment its critical, multi-faceted security services for Jewish schools, synagogues, camps, and community spaces, including:

• increasing security audits and trainings for local Jewish institutions,

• accelerating grant writing services to help local Jewish organizations access governmental and private funding,

• expanding JUF’s master contract program to augment community access to cost-effective security products and services,

• upgrading software inter-connectivity between JUF security and other facilities,

• continually monitoring social media and dark web threats, and

• strengthening the Jewish community’s partnership with the national Jewish Federations of North Americas Security Community Network (SCN).

“It’s my goal to ensure that every member of Chicago’s Jewish community can safely participate in Jewish life,” Godsel said.

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Godsel began his law enforcement career in the 21st district. He quickly rose through the CPD ranks, serving as a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, commander, and ultimately deputy chief, working across diverse city districts.

Godsel’s team led mobile strike units to combat aggressive criminal behavior and gang violence in some of Chicago’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods. Godsel distinguished himself as a gifted law enforcement officer and skilled community organizer who took precious time to connect with and understand the deep complexities of the communities in which he served.

“I’m a student of leadership,” Godsel said. “I developed a passion for community outreach, with the understanding that if you want to successfully lead in a community, you have to be highly available, accessible, and always operate from a place of respect. I prioritized improving neighborhood conditions and making people feel safe in the communities they call home.”

In addition to decades in law enforcement, Godsel has an extensive background in fine arts, giving him a unique, multi-faceted perspective on critical social issues and the way people connect with each other and to their community.

Bill Silverstein, chair of the Security Director Search Committee, thanked “the volunteers and professionals, including partners from SCN, family foundations, and chairs of JUF committees connected to security issues, for helping in this thorough, national, and successful search. Our entire community will benefit greatly from the due diligence undertaken, and we look forward to working with and learning from Dan for the benefit of all of us.”

“JUF was built to respond in times of crisis that demand swift, coordinated collective action. Security is one of those challenges,” Nasatir said. “We are confident in Dan’s ability to help strengthen our community, and we are incredibly honored to welcome him to JUF.”

Godsel’s initial orientation to the community’s security operations will be facilitated by longtime JUF Security Director Jim Newcomb who is playing a vital role in on-boarding Godsel.