From Anxiety to Action: Strengthening Jewish Security in DC

A DC museum’s security costs rose significantly overnight. Families are rethinking whether it is safe for their children to attend Jewish day school or preschool. This is the reality facing Jewish institutions in our nation’s capital.

To meet this urgent challenge, we are allocating $462,750 in security funding for 50 local Jewish organizations. These grants will provide short-term support by hiring additional security personnel, upgrading security infrastructure, and helping people feel safe while living a fully and openly Jewish life.

“This is not just about numbers; it’s about peace of mind,” said Joel Frankel, our senior director of community capacity initiatives. “We understand the anxiety surrounding security costs at this moment. Our goal is to ease some of that burden and help organizations focus on what they do best—serving our community.”

Safety has long been a priority—but now, it’s an urgent concern.

Before distributing the funds, we also took this opportunity to survey local partners to better understand their most pressing concerns. The findings paint a sobering picture:

• Surging Security Costs: Some organizations have doubled or even tripled their security budgets following the deadly shooting in May.
• Community Anxiety: Families hesitate to attend services or send children to Jewish schools without visible security. One synagogue put it simply: “No one should fear to congregate as Jews in 2025.”
• Painful Trade-Offs: Many organizations now face difficult choices, cutting programs or asking members to pay security fees—sometimes up to $180 per household.
• Critical Infrastructure Gaps: From impact-resistant windows to emergency communication systems, many institutions lack essential security features.

“Security is a community-wide effort,” said Rusty Rosenthal, executive director of community security at JShield, our security initiative. “The more we understand the specific needs of our local Jewish community, the better we can serve them and advocate for their needs.”

This funding is part of our larger commitment to keeping Jewish Greater Washington open, vibrant, and resilient in the face of rising threats.

To learn more about Federation’s security efforts, visit: https://www.shalomdc.org/jshield-security/.