Jewish organizations have expressed alarm over cuts to a grant program that provides funds for security measures at places of worship amid a rise in antisemitism in the
United States. In a recently passed spending bill,
Congress cut $30.5 million from the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), marking a 10 percent decrease. The grant program, started by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the physical protection of houses of worship, has been used by synagogues and other Jewish nonprofits at least since the 2018
shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh—the deadliest attack ever on an
American Jewish community. “It is unacceptable that as threats to our communities increase, Congress is decreasing potentially lifesaving funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. With an unprecedented spike in antisemitism and threats to Jewish institutions in the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, it’s disheartening to see Congress fail to even maintain the status quo,” said ADL National Director and CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt in a statement to The Epoch Times. “These funds have provided critical support for security enhancements such as surveillance cameras, fortified entry points, and emergency preparedness training,” they said. “In the last two years alone, at-risk Jewish institutions and facilities have seen a substantial increase in funding, directly contributing to the safety and resilience of communities across the country.” Last August, an armed suspect entered Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis and shot at the entrance to the school but could not get in through the doors, which were reinforced thanks to the NSGP. Cameras, equipped via funding from the program, got the license plate of the alleged shooter, leading to his apprehension. The two other organizations that signed onto the joint statement were the Orthodox Union, which represents Orthodox Jews, and the Secure Community Network, which works with law enforcement to protect synagogues and other Jewish institutions and helps those institutions secure funding from the NSGP. Nonprofits requested more than $600 million last year even though the NSGP only had $305 million for that fiscal year, SCN communications manager Ezra Weinberger told The Epoch Times. “With applications only expected to increase, there is no doubt the cut this year will lead to even more eligible and deserving applicants not receiving the support they need,” he said. Many, if not most, House
Republicans are opposed to the package due to the lack of border security measures. While “there have been many criticisms of the government program, particularly the length of time it takes to actually get funds once an application is accepted [at least a year or more],” said Mr. Bryen, “it is the best that is available.”