The leadership of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union) today issued the following statement after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo released $10 million in security grants for nonpublic schools, community centers and other nonprofit institutions:

“Gov. Cuomo has once again shown his unwavering commitment to the safety and security of all New Yorkers, including those most at risk of bias or hate crimes,” Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Allen Fagin said. “This Governor has repeatedly proven his unmatched concern and commitment to our security. As the largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization in the world, we know there is no greater ally of our community than Gov. Cuomo.”

Teach NYS, a project of the Orthodox Union that advocates for funding for nonpublic schools and institutions in New York State, was instrumental in the creation of the first “Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Grant” in the 2017 budget.

Over the summer, Teach NYS brought the Governor to two day schools to celebrate the release of the first installment of program funding. The program will provide $50,000 per recipient for as many as three campuses per school and $50,000 apiece for cultural institutions, day care centers and other nonprofits at risk of bias crimes or attacks due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.

Said Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane, “We are extremely grateful to the Governor for his continued efforts to protect our community. Both in word and deed, the Governor has demonstrated his commitment to the safety and security of Jews both in New York and around the world.”

Both on the state and federal levels, the Orthodox Union has long focused on creating legislation to increase safety for schools and other nonprofits at risk of terror attacks. Teach NYS and its affiliated state-based programs in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland and California stand ready to work with their communities to assist them in securing and advocating for similar funding programs.

For more information on the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Grant, contact Yosef Kanofsky at [email protected].