According to a recent report by the FBI, which deals with hate crimes in the United States in 2019 (the latest data), Antisemitic hate crimes have risen to a record level since 2008 – Over 953 crimes that were clearly diagnosed as crimes that prevent hatred of Jews (over 60%). The report is based on data obtained voluntarily, and therefore many estimate that the state of crimes against Jews is in fact much more difficult.
Followed by a considerable gap, anti-Islamic crimes, with 13.3%, crimes against members of other religions 6.5%, and the rest of the data deal with crimes against religious denominations (Catholics, Sikhs, Mormons, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.). For those involved, the data is not surprising. The American Jewish student organization Hillel reported 178 antisemitic incidents on campuses last summer. According to the Anti-Defamation League, between 2012 and 2019 the number of antisemitic incidents on campuses tripled.
Antisemitic addresses in San Antonio
Due to the situation described, the Organization of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) has been working in recent decades to obtain government funding for the security of religious community institutions. In 2004, the organization worked with the U.S. Congress to establish a special security grant program for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, grants that were ultimately awarded only to about a third of applicants but provided critical assistance.
These days, in light of the situation described in the report, the organization is working vigorously to promote a horizontal move of increasing the security budget for religious institutions (Jewish, but not only). The organization is appealing to the administration for $ 360 million in funding, four times the budget of the past year, In order to meet the security challenges facing the community. The same budget is expected to be used to fund specific risk assessments for each community, purchases of systems for physical protection, planning, training and practice of readiness, construction of protected infrastructure (fences), installation of windows with reinforced glass, and more.
In a letter written by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Rob Portman, Jackie Rosen, James Lankford and Gary Peters to members of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the subject, the senators warned: Sometimes … the various assessments of the threat of hate crimes by extremists show that they pose a deadly threat to faith communities and the Jewish community in particular, and are likely to continue to pose a threat in light of the difficulty in identifying individual perpetrators. “Do whatever it takes to protect at-risk communities from extremism.”
While hate crimes against Jews, as mentioned, are the vast and overwhelming majority of such incidents, it is important to note that the same activity to obtain the funding required is for religious and religious institutions in general. In fact, every year, tens of percent of the grants go to non-religious faith institutions (mosques, Sikh prayer houses, etc.). The Federation Organization guides all organizations seeking to apply for grants, how to submit, when, etc.
Eric Fingerhat“It is almost inconceivable to think that about a year ago, they stood together in New York and the rest of the world against hatred in a powerful demonstration of unity, in response to what the world called a ‘shocking show of hatred,'” he said.
He added: “2019 was a record year, With three deadly attacks on Jewish communities. In the seventh candle of Hanukkah 2019, Jews who visited the rabbi’s house were attacked by an assailant armed with a knife. Shortly before, a gunman armed with anti-Semitism opened fire on a small Chabad synagogue in the town of Pavay, killing a woman. And that same year, two gunmen launched an attack on a Jewish grocery store in Jersey City, killing three innocents. For decades. We fight to secure these security grants, in order to protect communities from terrorist threats and extreme violence. And today, in the current atmosphere, We are pleased to have representatives in Congress who will work and are working to increase funding for grants“.