WASHINGTON – More than 120 Jewish Federations urged House and Senate Appropriations committees to increase funding for security of faith-based communities.
They also advocated the committees to fund programs that would fight antisemitism and hate crimes, care for Holocaust survivors and other vulnerable populations.
“As you look to the next fiscal year, we write on behalf of the Jewish community, represented by the Jewish Federations of North America, to urge you to prioritize spending programs to secure faith and other vulnerable communities, fight antisemitism and hate crimes, care for Holocaust survivors and other vulnerable populations, and promote peace and security in the Middle East,” the Jewish leaders wrote in their letter on Thursday.
Increased funding to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)
The main item on the agenda was increasing the funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $360 million annually. “The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is critical to help secure Jewish and other communities facing elevated threats to their safety and wellbeing,” they wrote.
The NSGP has been a major agenda item for many Jewish organizations. Since the terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, Jewish organizations have urged Congress to increase its budget. The program permits houses of worship and other threatened nonprofits to apply for grants of up to $150,000 each. The money can be used for security measures such as fences, cameras, more secure doors and hiring of personnel.
“With program funding requests exceeding $400m., robust funding of this program is crucial to ensure that all communities are secure.”
Additional items included $10m. for the Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program; $20m. for the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act Program; $2m. for the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, and $50m. for the Nita Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that the American Jewish community is feeling more unsettled than it has in decades due to the rise in antisemitism and violent extremism,” Elana Broitman, SVP for Public Affairs for the Jewish Federations of North America, said. “Now is the time to double down on the priorities that keep our and other faith communities safe, secure, healthy, strong, and resilient, including programs that support the mental and physical health of our most vulnerable and ensure that our Holocaust survivors can live in dignity.”