RELEASE: Gottheimer Announces $1.43 Million in New Counterterrorism and Nonprofit Security Grants for Local Temples, Churches, Religious Schools & Organizations

More than $7.7 million in nonprofit security investment clawed back to NJ-5 since 2016

Protecting religious freedom 

Above: Gottheimer visiting Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck.

NORTH JERSEY — Today, September 28, 2022, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced that 10 organizations throughout New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District — houses of worship, schools, and local community organizations — received new Nonprofit Security Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Fiscal Year 2022. The $1.43 million in federal investment will provide security for houses of worship, religious schools, and community organizations that are at risk of a terrorist attack from homegrown and lone-wolf ISIS-inspired terrorists, white supremacists, and other domestic threats. 

This program is critical to protecting North Jersey families and communities nationwide from violent threats by promoting emergency preparedness coordination and improving security systems.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program investment is to enhance the protection of soft targets and crowded places through operational coordination; public information and warning; intelligence and information sharing; interdiction and disruption; screening, search, and detection; access control and identity verification; physical protective measures; and risk management for protection programs and activities. It also provides for safety and security through security guards, physical security enhancements like closed circuit television security cameras, training, security screening equipment for people and baggage, and access controls like fencing, gates, and barriers.

Gottheimer has worked closely with religious organizations, counties, towns, and local organizations to help apply for and win competitive federal security grants, clawing back our federal tax dollars to fight homegrown terror. Several of the organizations succeeded in securing the maximum amount of grant investment of $150,000 for 2022.

“This whole program is about fighting against antisemitism and hate and white supremacy and lone-wolf terror. It is about protecting against anyone who seeks to harm our families,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. “This is about making sure that our churches and our synagogues and our mosques are safe, and that religious institutions and freedom, which are so deep at the heart of who we are, are safe.”

The Fifth District organizations receiving the Nonprofit Security Grants for Fiscal Year 2022 are:

·         Ahavat Achim Orthodox Congregation of Fair Lawn, Fair Lawn – $109,000

·         Bais Medrash of Bergenfield, Bergenfield – $150,000

·         Congregation Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck – $150,000

·         Eastern Christian School Association, Midland Park – $147,000

·         Eastern Christian School Association, Wyckoff – $147,000

·         Jewish Community Center of Paramus/Congregation Beth Tikvah, Paramus – $150,000

·         Northern Teaneck Synagogue Association, dba Congregation Keter Torah, Teaneck – $150,000

·         Temple Emanu-El of Closter, Inc., Closter – $145,000

·         Temple Emanuel of North Jersey, Franklin Lakes – $137,945

·         Temple Emanuel of Pascack Valley, Woodcliff Lake – $150,000  

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