One big question remains: What has fueled the recent wave of anti-Semitism?
Funding would rise from this year’s $90 million to $360 million in 2021. The Orthodox Union played a key role in pushing for the increase.
“Across the different religious communities, there’s an understanding that security at houses of worship is a priority right now,” said Nathan Diament, executive director for the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center in Washington. “There’s a high level of interest in Congress in addressing the surge in anti-Semitism. There’s a lot of interest and a lot of discussions going on about what to do.”
Last week, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin of Maryland, both Democrats, held a press conference outside a synagogue in Baltimore along with a group of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious figures to advocate for the extra funding. Diament said the support of these two senators in particular is critical. “Senator Van Hollen is on the appropriations committee, which is the committee that’s really decisive on how much money gets allocated. And Senator Cardin is very influential on this as well.”
The funding increase would mean that every religious institution would be eligible to receive up to $100,000 for security cameras, smart doors, window bars, and other security precautions. Diament said the $360 million requested would adequately address security needs.
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