(José Niño, Headline USA) Jewish synagogues, schools, and community centers nationwide will receive an influx of cash as the Department of Homeland Security announces $94 million in grants following a surge in antisemitic attacks.
Last Friday, DHS announced that it is awarding $94,416,838 in federal grants to 512 Jewish faith-based organizations across the United States.
The funds, distributed through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and administered by FEMA, are designed to help these organizations “harden their defenses against attacks,” per the official DHS press release.
The urgency of this funding was underscored by two recent violent incidents: the killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, where demonstrators were assaulted with a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails during a pro-Israel event. DHS cited these attacks directly in its announcement, stating the grants would “help protect Jewish faith-based institutions from further attacks.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a record high of 9,354 antisemitic incidents in 2024, representing a staggering 344% increase over the past five years.
The organizations receiving grants include a host of of Jewish institutions: synagogues, schools, community centers, and other faith-based facilities. Over 40 Jewish organizations advocated for this funding, which was appropriated by Congress in response to the surge in threats connected to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
All faith-based institutions were eligible to apply, but the immediate focus was on those most at risk, with the goal of providing “support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements” such as cameras, reinforced doors, and other safety measures, according to a Fox New report.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the urgency of this perceived crisis, stating, “DHS is working to put a stop to the deeply disturbing rise in antisemitic attacks across the United States. That this money is necessary at all is tragic. Antisemitic violence has no place in this country. However, under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that Jewish people in the United States can live free of the threat of violence and terrorism.”.
The release of these funds marks the first major disbursement since a months-long freeze on federal spending reviews by the Trump administration, which had delayed the allocation of the full $220 million appropriated by Congress[.
The Jew Telegraphic Agency reported that Lauren Wolman, the director of federal policy and strategy at the of the ADL, welcomed the announcement. However, she stressed, “the job isn’t done,” urging DHS to release the remaining supplemental funds to meet overwhelming demand and ensure the safety of Jewish communities nationwide.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
