The Nonprofit Security Grant Program has just received an infusion of $360m thanks to the US House Appropriations Subcommittee. This funding will help to keep synagogues and Jewish community centers safe by bolstering security. The money will go to fund security measures such as inspection and screening systems, fences, cameras, more secure doors, additional hiring of personnel, and the development of emergency preparedness plans for nonprofits and houses of worship at high risk for terror attacks. Such institutions can apply for grants of up to $150,000.

The funding bill more than doubles the $110 million from the previous year. According to the Jewish Federation, the allocation of this funding “will help save lives and keep Jewish and other communities safe.”

No amount of security equipment can, however, address the root causes of antisemitic terror. As such, this is simply a bandaid at a time of a horrific spike of antisemitic incidents, especially in NYC. Society does not want to confront these attacks or their root causes.