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)