By: Jared Evan

New York state legislators are rallying for increased funding of $90 million to enhance security measures in religious schools, aiming to counteract a surge in hate crimes amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict. The proposed doubling of security funds, previously set at $45 million, has become a primary focus for the Teach Coalition/Teach NYS, an advocacy group representing the Orthodox Jewish Union and other non-public schools, NY Post reported.

State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) stressed the urgency of the matter, citing escalating threats targeting religious institutions. Gianaris emphasized that augmenting security funding for schools would provide reassurance to parents regarding the safety of their children in educational settings.

Both the state Senate and Assembly are anticipated to incorporate the increased funding into their budget bills, with the expectation of passing them later in the week. This action serves as a precursor to negotiating a final spending plan, which necessitates approval from Governor Kathy Hochul by April 1st.

Teach NYS’s initiative, dubbed Project Protect, has mobilized considerable support, evidenced by the dispatch of 17,000 letters, many authored by students, urging Governor Hochul and legislators to double the funding allocation. Maury Litwack, executive director of the Teach Coalition, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, asserting that no child should feel apprehensive about attending school.

Litwack underscored the diverse coalition supporting the lobbying efforts, encompassing parents, students, and educators from Islamic and Christian schools in addition to Yeshivas. This interfaith collaboration reflects a collective commitment to ensuring the safety of all students, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

The allocated funding is typically utilized for hiring security personnel and implementing video surveillance systems. Following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th, concerns have intensified regarding the safety of students, particularly those identifiable by religious attire such as yarmulkes and hijabs. Incidents of harassment and assault targeting students have been reported, prompting heightened vigilance.

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi emphasized the imperative of utilizing all available resources to safeguard the Jewish, Muslim, and other communities. Notably, New York City witnessed a significant surge of 214% in anti-Jewish incidents in October of the previous year amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict. These incidents encompassed assaults on individuals leaving synagogues and witnessed a notable increase in antisemitic property crimes.

The Nonpublic School Security Equipment (NPSE) grant, initially established in 2013 with an annual funding of $4.5 million, solely covered security equipment expenses. Subsequent increases in funding in 2016 and 2022 expanded the scope to include security guards, culminating in the current proposal to double the funding to $90 million.

The push for increased funding underscores a concerted effort by New York lawmakers and advocacy groups to address the escalating threat of hate crimes and ensure the safety of students in religious schools amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.

In the three months following  the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, U.S. antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed, reaching a total of 3,291* incidents between Oct. 7 and Jan. 7, according to ADL’s (the Anti-Defamation League) preliminary data. This represents a 361-percent increase compared to the same period one year prior, which saw 712 incidents.

The preliminary three-month tally is higher than the total number of antisemitic incidents tracked in any year in the last decade, except for calendar year 2022, when the total number of incidents reached a historic high of 3,697. Since Oct. 7, there was an average of nearly 34 antisemitic incidents per day, putting 2023 on track to be the highest year for antisemitic acts against Jews since ADL started tracking this data in the late 1970s.