Washington, D.C. (WBEN) - Following a disturbing rise in antisemitism and hate crimes, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference on Wednesday calling for additional funding to protect synagogues, Jewish community centers, mosques, and other religious or non-profit institutions that are at high risk of terrorist attacks.
"The past few days have been truly horrifying, as more stories and accounts emerge in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. With each new day, we see more evidence of human suffering, and the lives and families and communities that have been torn apart by violence, and innocent civilian suffering and dying because of intolerance and hate," said Gillibrand on Wednesday. "All across the world, communities are grieving. Many are uniting to condemn the escalating violence, but sadly, many more are adding fuel to the flames."
Gillibrand is requesting that $500 million in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) be included in the Fiscal Year 2024 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
"This program provides funding to nonprofit institutions and houses of worship so they can make physical security enhancements like installing cameras or gates, hiring security guards, and other measures," Gillibrand explained. "In addition to hardening facilities, this program helps keep at-risk nonprofit organizations safe by promoting emergency preparedness, and coordinating and collaborating activities between public and private community representatives, as well as with state and local government agencies."
Last year, the FBI recorded more than 11,000 hate crime incidents across the nation, which is the most since it started collecting this data in 1991. This includes 1,124 incidents of anti-Jewish hate crime.
Gillibrand says she has heard from Jewish organizations across New York, and the anxiety level among leaders is very high.
"Hate crimes have increased exponentially, and the targeting of Jewish people and anti-Semitic crimes have gone up exponentially over the last year. They are very worried, and they are seeking support to protect the synagogues, protect the schools, protect the places of worship that are being targeted," she said.
Since Hamas launched its attack on Israel, there have been reports of growing antisemitism and anti-Semitic incidents from around the country. This includes a recent attack on a Palestinian family in Illinois that left a 6-year-old boy dead and his mother hospitalized.
"We must take a stand against Islamophobia and speak out strongly against it," Gillibrand said. "Let me be clear, there's no excuse for violence or hate against any group based on their religion or ethnicity. It's a stain on America. Our communities and our loved ones are desperate to be protected, and I'm working with my colleagues in Congress to keep our families, children and loved ones safe."
In Fiscal Year 2023, New York received nearly $38 million in NSGP funding - the most of any state. Nevertheless, not all organizations that applied for funding received it. Gillibrand’s push would help meet the growing demand.
"No one is safe until everyone is safe. We should all agree that hatred and violence have no place in our communities," she said.