Rabbi held hostage in Colleyville tells Congress that houses of worship need more security funds

WASHINGTON — The Colleyville rabbi held hostage with three congregants by a man demanding release of an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist urged Congress on Tuesday to provide more security funds for houses of worship.

“I am truly horrified that in our society today, religious leaders must devote themselves to security training. How to harden our facilities is both a necessary conversation, and anathema to religious ideals of hospitality and loving the stranger,” Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker told a House Homeland Security subcommittee.

“I am grateful to be here. To be honest, I’m grateful to be anywhere,” he said.

A recently upgraded camera system at Congregation Beth Israel gave the FBI critical information during the terrifying 10-hour standoff on Jan. 15. But he noted, last year less than half the groups that sought funding under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program were approved.

“Every congregation needs to be prepared, yet the gap between the need and the funding is profound,” Cytron-Walker said.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/02/08/colleyville-rabbi-asks-congress-for-more-security-funds-after-surviving-hostage-incident/