More than 400 Jewish leaders traveled to Washington this week to push Congress to increase funding for a federal program that helps houses of worship strengthen their security. The lobbying effort came one day after two teenagers attacked a San Diego mosque, killing three men and themselves.
According to NPR, the group is calling for one billion dollars for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, known as the NSGP, which is administered by FEMA under the Department of Homeland Security. The program awards grants to nonprofits to improve security, covering expenses such as door locks, security cameras, and bollards designed to prevent vehicles from crashing into buildings.
Rabbi Jen Lader of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, was among those who made the trip. Her congregation was attacked in March. No one was killed other than the attacker, an outcome she credited to security personnel and staff training.
"If we had not had those resources and that funding, this would have been a really different story," she told NPR. "And we cannot allow a single other community to experience something as horrific as we've experienced, knowing that there were resources that could have gone into saving lives."
She addressed the broader scope of the push directly. "We are not asking Congress to just protect Jews – we are asking Congress to protect every community of Americans that gathers to pray. And we are asking with the full weight of what we have just lived through behind us," she said.
Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, which is leading the lobbying effort, acknowledged the difficult reality behind the campaign. "It's tragic that we have to be thinking about this in the same way that TSA protects airports and businesses protect their premises, but we have to," he said.
Fadi Hammami, co-president of the Islamic Association of Greater Hartford, said the San Diego attack had sharpened the sense of urgency for Muslim communities as well. "It's one of those moments where you think, is this going to happen to us? Is it a matter of when or if?" he said. "Are we prepared?"
Hammami said his association first applied for NSGP funding in 2019 and was approved for $50,000 in 2021. The funds were used to strengthen doors and purchase security cameras and alarms. Despite seeing potential for further improvements, the association has since stopped applying. Hammami pointed to the program's reimbursement structure as a barrier. Nonprofits must wait for approval before beginning any security work and must provide the money upfront before being reimbursed by the federal government. Some states offer a cash advance, but the federal process does not. "While the merits of the program are great, the administration part has a lot to be desired," he told NPR.
