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IPA
Public Policy Library
MEMORANDUM
TO: Synagogue, Day School & Community Leaders
FROM: Nathan J. Diament, Director, OU Inst. for Public Affairs
DATE: June 21, 2004
RE: Potential Homeland Security Subsidies for At-Risk Non-Profits
The Orthodox Union is acutely aware of the increased concern within
our community, and the Jewish community at large, over the physical
safety and security of our synagogues, schools and other
institutions in light of terrorist threats. The Orthodox Union has
been working for more than a year to address this issue on several
fronts.
In this regard, the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs has been
principally focused on two key aspects of this issue in the realm of
public policy: (a) developing a working relationship with the U.S.
Dept. of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to foster appropriate information
sharing on potential threats as well as training and technical
assistance programs tailored for our community; and (b) working with
DHS and the U.S. Congress to identify and/or create opportunities
for our community’s institutions to receive financial subsidies
toward the significant cost of upgrading physical security we must
otherwise bear alone.
(You may be aware from press reports that we joined with other
Jewish community leaders last week in meeting with DHS Secretary Tom
Ridge and other senior DHS personnel to accelerate community wide
efforts with regard to aspect (a) – information sharing and
technical assistance. These productive discussions will yield
beneficial results soon.)
With regard to (b), financial subsidies, I am pleased to report a
key development which you should, if interested, act upon now. As a
result of our efforts (in partnership with the federation system’s
umbrella - United Jewish Communities), the DHS has issued a Guidance
memorandum to all State government homeland security officials
informing them that “non-governmental organizations,” such as
synagogues and parochial schools, are eligible to receive financial
grants from the pool of federal homeland security funds states
receive from the federal government. (See DHS-ODP
memo for more details.)
UJC has advised its local Jewish Federation and JCRC offices to seek
meetings with local officials in their states to discuss such
funding. (See attached state contact list.) I urge you to contact
your local Federation or JCRC executive to ensure that the security
needs of synagogues and day schools, arguably the most at-risk
targets in the Jewish community, are included in your Federation
community’s needs assessment, agenda, and discussions with these
state and local officials.
Please keep us at the OU/IPA informed of developments in your
community on this issue. If we can be of any further assistance in
this regard, please contact IPA Associate Director Darren Schneider.
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