(Jewish Group) For many Jewish Americans, police protection at synagogues is normal

Steep cost to pray in peace: For many Jewish Americans, police protection at synagogues is normal

For many American Jews, the sight of a police cruiser parked outside of a synagogue has been a staple of Sabbath services for two decades.

Now, leaders say the federal government should be doing more to help protect them as they worship. Citing a significant nationwide anti-semitism crisis, including last week's 11-hour standoff with a gunman at a Texas synagogue, Jewish leaders are pushing Congress to dramatically expand a federal program that has provided nearly half a billion dollars over the last six years in security funding for churches, synagogues and other faith-based institutions. The money allows them to pay for police officers, technology and survival training.

Eric Fingerhut, president of the Jewish Federation of North America, which represents 300 independent Jewish communities and is headquartered in New York, said the funding has been quintessential in protecting thousands of worshippers that would have otherwise left them to face up to violent threats alone.

"The safety and security of the public is first and foremost the responsibility of the government," said Fingerhut. "We don't want faith-based institutions to have to divert all the resources that they devote to charity and to caring for each other to security."

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Of course, just look at the comments as to why this needs to be; hell there is a reason I also start all my posts with "Jewish Group".