:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/O2L4BHOMH5ER7G6XIXBK73JRTA.jpg)
David Janoff wants to protect his congregation.
As president of Temple Beth El in Williamsburg, he said safety is always a concern, especially with hate crimes on the rise.
“There has been an increase in antisemitic attacks across the country so over the last few years we have really geared up our security efforts,” he said, noting the addition of security cameras and routine police patrols in recent years.
Now the temple will have more funding to help cover the costs: Temple Beth El is one of several local organizations selected to receive support from a federal grant program that helps at-risk community and religious centers secure their facilities against a potential attack.
Any nonprofit organization believed to be at higher risk of terrorism due to their ideology, beliefs or mission is eligible to apply. The funding can be used to hire security personnel, purchase safety equipment or pay for security planning sessions, among other options.
Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia Beach, announced Monday that three organizations in her district, including two in Virginia Beach, would receive a total of $380,628 from the program.
A spokesperson for Rep. Bobby Scott , D-Newport News, said several organizations in his district received a total of $459,040, including one in Portsmouth and three in Norfolk.
“Violence has no place in our society, and the rise in threats to places of worship and religious nonprofits across the country is alarming,” Luria, who voted in May for a bill that would expand the grant program, said in a release. “I am proud to announce more of this funding for these community and religious groups to bolster their security, protect Coastal Virginians, and allow people to safely gather.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/JSJDJF2XXZCATA5ZCZKGMB4F3Q.jpg)
Janoff said the grant money will help improve perimeter security and provide training for emergency situations to worshippers at Temple Beth El.
He believes multiple attacks — including the 2018 mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and the 2022 hostage situation at Beth Israel synagogue in Texas — would have been worse if those congregations had not received prior training about how to react in such a situation.
“We are really picking up on the importance of getting the congregation training,” he said, adding that an emergency training session is slated for next month. “We are going to get the training we need so we can confidently come to a house of worship and know what to do if something happens.”
Kelly Burroughs, chief executive officer for Jewish Family Services, another recipient of the grant money, said the community services organization was thrilled to receive the grant.
Today's Top Stories
“We work with vulnerable people in the community and we just don’t ever take our security for granted,” she said.
Citing a recent incident involving antisemitic flyers, Burroughs said the Jewish community can sometimes be the “target of some not-so-nice people.”
The flyers, which took aim at Jewish executives who work for Disney and included a web address that linked to antisemitic videos, were left in driveways throughout several neighborhoods in Richmond and Virginia Beach last month.
Betty Ann Levin, the head of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, applied for the grant on behalf of Jewish Family Services. She said they plan to use the funds to purchase safety equipment, hire more security personnel and offer safety training classes.
In a statement to The Virginian-Pilot, Sen. Tim Kaine urged Virginians to work together on rooting out hate.
“Virginians deserve to feel safe in every aspect of their daily lives, including in places of worship,” he said Tuesday. “I’m glad this funding is headed to Hampton Roads to help us turn that principle into a reality.”
Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com