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October 15, 2004/Tishri 30 5765, Vol. 57, No. 7
U.S. bill could protect shuls
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - Ameri-can Jewish institutions are expected to seek funds from a new pot of money to be allocated to secure nonprofit institutions.
Congress passed $25 million for the security of high-risk nonprofits Oct. 11 as part of the Homeland Security Appropriations Act.
The bill, which President Bush is expected to sign in a matter of days, gives Jewish groups, and other non-governmental terrorist tar-gets, an avenue to protect themselves.
The provision was passed without the safeguards some Jewish groups wanted, which would have ensured that houses of worship would not receive money directly from the government.
But federal aid likely will be a welcomed relief to many Jewish organizations and institutions that have faced staggering security costs as terrorism fears have risen in recent years.
Groups have had to shift money intended for other purposes in order to pay for the security enhancements, and have been wondering whether the government could help pay the bill.
While several Jewish groups that lobbied heavily for the provision hoped to get as much as $100 million allocated to nonprofits, proponents nevertheless see the $25 million as a step in the right direction.
"This money will enable a lot of nonprofit institutions to put up concrete barriers and bulletproof doors to really enhance their security," said Charles Konigsberg, vice president for public policy at the United Jewish Com-munities.
Although the appropriation passed, the authorization bill - which would have set out the structure for who could receive the money - is still lingering in Congress and likely will not be voted on this year.
Many of the safeguards Jewish groups sought in order to ensure the separation of church and state will, therefore, not be law by the time money is doled out. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security will determine who is eligible for the funds.
The Bush administration has shown a willingness to give federal dollars to religious groups as part of its faith-based initiatives, and is likely to support direct money to houses of worship to meet security needs.
If Bush wins the White House next month, the rule-making process deter-mining who will receive the money will be crucial to ensure that safeguards are put in place, several Jewish officials said, adding that they expected the Homeland Security Department to appoint someone to serve as a liaison between it and the nonprofit groups.
"When we meet with the department, we will re-commend regulations that will ensure funds can only be used for the protection of terrorist attacks," Konigs-berg said.
Already, the Reform move-ment is advising its con-gregations to not seek the federal dollars.
"We will encourage our congregations to not accept the money," said Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism.
Several Jewish groups that signed on to the bill agreed that contractors coordinating security upgrades would serve as intermediaries with houses of worship, so direct money would not flow from the government to syna-gogues.
Other groups wanted houses of worship excluded from the legislation alto-gether, but lost in the end.
A June ruling from the Department of Homeland Security allowed Jewish and other nonprofit sites to receive federal aid from the $2 billion earmarked from the Office of Domestic Preparedness to states and municipalities for their homeland security needs.
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