This has been quite a busy week advocating on behalf of our Jewish community.

On Monday and Tuesday, I was in Washington, DC with 400 other Jewish Federation leaders from across the country lobbying for more funding for security. I was joined there by Taylor Hartstone, a rising senior at Portland State University and incoming president of their Jewish Student Union.

The message in DC was clear -- “We will not be silent!” Jews make up 2% of the U.S. population while 69% of all targeted attacks are against the Jewish community. This is ten times greater than any other group.

Our time together started with this three minute video. It focuses on the March 12th attack on Temple Israel in Detroit and why additional security funds from the federal government are sorely needed. Jewish communities nationally spend $765 million per year to protect 4,400+ Jewish institutions.

Jewish Federations of North America worked with Congressional leaders to develop the Jewish American Security Act, a bipartisan, bicameral comprehensive federal effort to strengthen the safety of Jewish Americans and institutions nationwide. Developed in the wake of deadly antisemitic attacks and the ongoing security crisis facing the Jewish American community, this bill also provides security funding for other faith-based groups (one example is the deadly attack on the Islamic Center in San Diego earlier this week).

Taylor and I met with lead staff from Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley's offices, and met personally with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (the House was not in session so other representatives were not in DC), to discuss the bill, which:

• Reauthorizes and expands the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funding to $1 billion annually (currently at $300 million).
• Speeds up the application process and reimbursement timeline.
• Eliminates the 50% personnel cap and allows for broader use of funds for security staffing.
• Strengthens collaboration between the Department of Justice and state and local law enforcement to enhance security for at-risk houses of worship.
• Forces online platforms to publicly disclose moderation practices and enforcement against antisemitic content.
• Requires all recipients of federal funds to strengthen Title VI civil rights compliance to support college students.

You can learn more here. The Congressional offices were understanding and receptive.

Someone in our community recently asked me what security REALLY costs. I shared that I could tell them the cost for a Jewish day school education. The cost for Jewish summer camp. Even the cost for counseling for a year. But does anyone really know what it costs to secure an entire Jewish community? No matter the cost, it is our job to figure out how!

On Wednesday, a group of Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) leaders went to Salem to meet with Governor Tina Kotek. We had an important conversation on how to fight against antisemitism throughout Oregon and ways to keep our institutions safe. Gov. Kotek was highly engaged and shared several potential ideas and opportunities which we hope will come to fruition. More to come.

I want to be clear -- when we met with our elected officials in DC and Salem, we were not asking for special treatment for the Jewish community. We were asking for safety, accountability, and partnership. We recognize that when it comes to security, we (Jewish institutions) have to be right all the time. The bad person only has to be right one time.

As Jewish Americans, and all Americans, we should be able to worship, gather, learn, and live openly and proudly without fear!

As we reflect on our security needs, we are also reminded of the holiday of Shavuot, which starts tonight. Shavuot commemorates when the Jewish people stood united at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. It is a celebration of our covenant and the neverending transmission of our heritage from one generation to the next. Yet, to gather together as our ancestors did and to pass these sacred traditions down to our children, we must first ensure the physical safety of the spaces where Jewish life flourishes.

One of the most beautiful traditions of Shavuot is the Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the practice of staying awake through the night to study Torah. This is a true testament to our enduring dedication to our faith. Today, however, that spiritual vigilance must be matched by a rigorous physical vigilance. Just as we stay awake to guard our spiritual inheritance, we must protect our community centers, day schools, summer camps, and synagogues. The immense cost and effort required to secure our institutions are modern-day shields that protect the learning and communal gathering at the heart of Shavuot.

A rabbi recently spoke about how the Torah was originally given in the wilderness -- a place of inherent vulnerability and uncertainty. Today, the threatening landscape and the rising tide of antisemitism can often feel like a modern wilderness. By advocating for the Jewish American Security Act and the expansion of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, we are actively building a protective perimeter around our community. We are ensuring that Jewish spaces remain safe for prayer and learning, and our children can learn and experience their heritage without looking over their shoulders.

Shavuot is a festival of joy and gratitude for the gift of the Torah. Our advocacy and security efforts are not born solely out of fear, but out of a fierce determination to preserve that joy. Protecting our institutions means protecting our fundamental right to celebrate, to learn, and to thrive. May we recreate the pride and unity of when we stood together at Mount Sinai and fulfill our ultimate goal -- to feel safe and secure as Jews and to always live proudly and freely.

Chag Shavuot sameach (here is a link to Shavuot programs), Shabbat shalom, and have a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend.

The Jewish Federation office will be closed on Friday in celebration of Shavuot. We will reopen on Tuesday following the Memorial Day holiday.