Federal Program for Jewish Institutional Security May Face Political Test
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — A message from the Jewish Democratic Council of America: A vital security program – one that Jewish nonprofits, synagogues, and community centers rely on to protect our institutions from antisemitic threats – has been warped by the Trump administration into a tool to further politicize Jewish safety.
Trump’s Department of Homeland Security has updated terms for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which funds critical security upgrades such as cameras, reinforced doors, bulletproof glass, safety training, and guards for Jewish spaces. Now, receiving funds for the NSGP may be conditional on cooperation with Trump’s extreme political agenda. Specifically, Jewish institutions must cooperate with ICE and ban Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Trump is telling Jewish Americans that if we don’t support his extreme policies, we don’t deserve to be safe. This is appalling, especially as violent antisemitic attacks are on the rise. Tell your elected officials that Jewish Americans reject Trump’s attempts to politicize our security. We reject political requirements for security funds. We just want to keep Jewish spaces safe.
Trump’s authoritarian takeover of our country is impacting the safety of Jewish Americans. First, he froze NSGP funding for months, risking our security. Then, he cut the total amount for NSGP funding, again risking our security. Now, he’s requiring acquiescence with his agenda to receive NSGP funding, because Jewish security clearly isn’t the priority for Trump and this White House. Forcing compliance with his political agenda is the priority, and we refuse to be complicit.
Write your elected officials to ensure Jewish communities are not coerced into complicity. Tell them we will not abandon our values to appease Donald Trump, and that we prioritize Jewish security, even if he does not.
*
Republican Jewish Coalition Applauds Charles Kushner for Reproving France
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) CEO Matt Brooks said:
The RJC applauds U.S. Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, for his bold and resolute stand in defense of France’s Jewish community.
As the Jewish community of France continues to face an explosion of antisemitism, Ambassador Kushner is right to call out President Macron’s dangerous appeasement of Hamas terrorists and their disgraceful enablers.
As Ambassador Kushner wrote in his open letter, “Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France.” The RJC completely agrees.
We thank Ambassador Kushner for his righteous moral clarity. U.S. leadership, at this critical moment in history, is more important than ever.
*
International Coalition of Jewish Groups Defend Katharina von Schnurbein Against Bias Charge
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Press Release) – American Jewish Committee (AJC) and more than 75 Jewish organizations across 34 countries today expressed their “unequivocal support and appreciation for Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, in light of recent unfounded and pernicious criticism” in a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
In the letter, the groups praised von Schnurbein’s efforts, saying she “has worked tirelessly and with great integrity to strengthen European policies and initiatives that protect Jewish communities and ensure that Jewish life can flourish across our continent. Her mandate has always been grounded in European values, democratic principles, and the urgent need to defend the Jewish community against hatred and discrimination.”
AJC and the signatories of the letter mobilized a response to a targeted defamation campaign against von Schnurbein which has questioned her work and integrity. The organizations attest that von Schnurbein “has become not only a trusted advisor but also a model for governments and communities in North America and elsewhere, which now face similar challenges” and that it is “deeply troubling to see her accused of ‘bias’ simply because she refuses to trivialize or ignore threats against Jews. To attack her for defending Jewish dignity and security is, in effect, to challenge the European Union’s own credibility in combating antisemitism.”
The full text of the letter is below and a PDF of the letter, including the full list of signatories, can be found here.
*
StandWithUs Calls for Urgent Response to Druze and Christian Persecution in Syria
LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — StandWithUs has launched an urgent campaign calling on elected officials to act immediately to protect Druze and Christian minorities from genocidal threats in Sweida, Syria. This crisis has been underreported outside the Middle East and without urgent intervention, the risk of continued genocidal violence remains dire.
“This crisis demands immediate action,” said Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs. “The international community cannot allow Syria’s Druze, Christians, and other religious minorities to face genocidal violence in silence. Immediate action must be taken because it is already too late for too many.”
Druze leaders have called for an international investigation, stressing they do not trust the Syrian regime to hold the perpetrators accountable.
StandWithUs’ campaign urges Congress and the White House to:
–Condemn the atrocities and demand the immediate release of abducted Druze and Christians;
–Pressure Syria and its allies to lift barriers to humanitarian aid entering Sweida and support relief efforts, including those led by Israel;
–Ensure an independent investigation into the atrocities committed by extremists, militants, and Syrian government forces.
Beginning July 12th, Sunni Islamist extremists and Bedouin militants, aided by Syrian government forces, carried out a wave of atrocities against Druze and Christian religious minorities in Sweida, southwest Syria, including massacres, sexual violence and kidnapping.
The Syrian President, Ahmed al-Shaara, is a former al-Qaeda and ISIS commander who went by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammed al-Julani. Since taking over Syria, he has attempted to portray himself as a unifier and moderate, but forces close to him have participated in multiple massacres targeting minority groups. According to reports, the Syrian President’s cousin issued a fatwa (a ruling or edict in Islamic law) permitting the capture and enslavement of Druze women and girls. Per reports, an estimated 1,700 people have been killed, 228,000 displaced, and more than 720 are kidnapped or missing. Survivors describe rape, mutilation, mass kidnappings, and the murder of children, with perpetrators broadcasting many of these crimes on social media and making genocidal threats.
Israel intervened on behalf of the Druze and Christians on July 14 and 15, helping to put an end to the massacres, destroying Syrian tanks and the headquarters of the Syrian Ministry of Defense in Damascus. The Syrian Army continues to maintain a seige around Sweida, however, blocking the flow of food and medical supplies, despite Israeli and US efforts to deliver aid and establish a humanitarian corridor. Civilians continue to face the threat of starvation and displacement.
Sweida is a majority-Druze city in a majority Sunni Muslim country. The Druze are a small religious minority, with approximately 700,000 adherents in Syria, 250,000 in Lebanon, and 150,000 in Israel. Historically persecuted across the Middle East, Druze in Israel are fully integrated into society, many proudly serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their Jewish neighbors.
When Syrian forces attacked the Druze community, Israel launched an aerial campaign to thwart an impending genocide and continues to deliver aid, even as much of the world has remained silent.
The story of Sweida has been underreported outside the Middle East. Without urgent intervention, the risk of continued genocidal violence remains dire.
StandWithUs invites members of the public, journalists, human rights organizations, and elected officials to join the campaign. Your voice can help save lives. Every voice counts.
*
Preceding compiled from press releases.