Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that $4,995,121 in federal grants are coming to Jewish synagogues, schools, and community centers across the New York City area. Jewish institutions across all five boroughs and Nassau County will receive funding under the Urban Areas Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant Program (UASI-NSGP). Seventy-one non-profit Jewish organizations were qualified for funding to supplement their security budgets.

To qualify for the grant program an organization must be at high-risk for a terrorist attack and be located in one of the UASI’s specified Urban Areas. The grant would protect against threats similar to the Riverdale Jewish Center and Riverdale Synagogue bomb scares, in which four men plotted to detonate a bomb. The Riverdale Jewish Center and Riverdale Synagogue both received funding under this grant program.

 “The recent effort to detonate a bomb at the Riverdale Jewish Center and Riverdale Synagogue was a stark reminder that there are enemies at work that seek to bring murder and mayhem here and that New York is the number one terror target in the country,” Schumer said. “The funding approved today by the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee recognizes this reality by targeting resources to fund vital security efforts here in New York City at our vulnerable organizations.”

The FY 2010 UASI NSGP provides funding support for target-hardening activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack and are located within one of the specific UASI-eligible Urban Areas.    

American Jewish Committee 75,000.00    
Bais Sarah Cong. Machne Chaim  75,000.00    
Bais Yaakov Faigeh Schonberger of Adas Yereim 74,996.00    
Bay Ridge Jewish Center 74,045.00    
Be’er HaGolah Institutes 75,000.00    
Beth Gavriel Bukharian Congregation 74,500.00    
Bnai Brith Hillel Foundation of Queens College 75,000.00    
Center for Jewish History  75,000.00     
Chabad Lubavitch Center 75,000.00    
Chabad of Northeastern Queens Inc. 75,000.00    
Chabad of Port Washington 75,000.00    
Congregation Anshei Shalom 75,000.00    
Congregation Beth Sholom Inc. Lawrence, NY 75,000.00    
Congregation B’nai Israel 75,000.00    
Congregation B’nai Israel of Staten Island 75,000.00    
Congregation Khal Adas  Krasna 75,000.00    
Congregation Khal Chasidei Skwere 75,000.00    
Congregation Lubavitch of Long Island 75,000.00    
Congregation Ohr Menachem 75,000.00    
Congregation Yeshiva Ohr Hameir 75,000.00    
Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale 75,000.00    
East Flatbush Religious aka Bnos Yisroel Girls School 75,000.00    
East Midwood Jewish Center, Inc. 75,000.00    
Friends of Midreshet Shalhevet High School for Girls 75,000.00    
Gan Miriam 75,000.00    
Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway 75,000.00    
Hewlett East Rockaway Jewish Centre 75,000.00    
Hillcrest Jewish Center 75,000.00    
Hychel Hatorah of Williamsburg 75,000.00    
Jewish Community Center of Staten Island 75,000.00    
Jewish Institute of Queens     75,000.00     
Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary 75,000.00    
Knesseth Bais Yaakov 63,000.00    
Kulanu Torah Academy 75,000.00    
Machon Bais Yaakov 75,000.00    
Magen David Yeshivah 75,000.00    
Maimonides Medical Center 55,215.00    
Merkaz – The Center, Inc. 75,000.00    
Mesivta of Long Beach 75,000.00    
Mesivta Sholom Shachna 75,000.00    
Mesivta Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin 75,000.00    
Mesivtah Eitz Chaim, Inc. 74,600.00    
Mirrer Yeshiva Central Institute 75,000.00    
Ohr Torah 75,000.00    
Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation 46,440.00   Ramaz School 75,000.00    
Rambam Mesivta High School 75,000.00    
Rego Park Jewish Center 75,000.00    
Riverdale Jewish Center 75,000.00    
Riverdale Temple 75,000.00    
Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy 75,000.00    
Sephardic Lebanese Congregation 54,700.00    
Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center 55,900.00    
Staten Island Chabad Israeli Center 75,000.00    
Talmud Torah of Flatbush 75,000.00    
Temple Or Elohim 75,000.00    
The  Cheder 75,000.00    
The Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale 75,000.00    
Yeled vYalda Early Childhood Center 75,000.00    
Yeshiva and Mesivta Toras Chaim of Greater NY at South Shore Inc. 73,425.00  Yeshiva Ketana of Manhattan  75,000.00     
Yeshiva Mesivta Vayoel Moshe 75,000.00    
Yeshiva of Kings Bay 75,000.00    
Yeshiva Ohavei Torah of Riverdale 75,000.00    
Yeshiva University 75,000.00    
YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood, Inc. 75,000.00    
Young Israel of Great Neck 73,600.00    
Young Israel of Hewlett 74,700.00    
Young Israel of Hillcrest 75,000.00    
Young Israel of Oceanside 75,000.00    
Young Israel of Staten Island 75,000.00    
TOTAL 4,995,121.00

THE FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT BY AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA:

WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that non-profit organizations at high risk of terrorist attack and located in DHS-designated urban areas will receive $19 million in security grants to strengthen the physical security of their facilities – through video surveillance equipment, alarmed and reinforced doors and windows, security barriers, metal detectors, locks, gates, fences, personnel training and other improvements.  The allocation is part of a more than $1.8 billion Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Preparedness Grant for the current fiscal year.

Numerous Jewish institutions, including community centers, schools, places of worship, charitable organizations, social service agencies and other communal gathering places, will be receiving a share of the allocation.

“Threats, and actual incidents of violence, against Jewish targets in the United States and around the world point to the particular vulnerability of our community, and to the need for these funds, which will help to better ensure Americans’ safety and well-being,” said Rabbi Abba Cohen, Washington Director and Counsel of Agudath Israel of America, a national Orthodox Jewish group.

Rabbi Cohen was one of the original and leading voices in promoting the creation of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in 2005 and in promoting subsequent appropriations and enhancements. Agudath Israel is a member-organization of a coalition, led by the Jewish Federations of North America, committed to keeping the program well-funded and viable.

“This is a very welcome development,” said Rabbi Cohen, “one that will bring needed improvement in security to, among others, Jewish institutions in the Orthodox community.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)