Ten Jewish organizations in New Jersey will receive federal homeland security grants to tighten safety standards on their premises.

The organizations represent nearly one half of the 22 nonprofit agencies in the state that run a higher than average "potential risk" of a terrorist attack, according to the United States Department of Homeland Security.

The DHS gave a total of $1.8 million to Jewish, Christian, and nonsectarian schools, hospitals, and community organizations throughout the state.

None of the grants is greater than $100,000.

The monies will allow the recipients to spend their allocations to purchase and install security equipment.

United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ received an unspecified grant.

"I would not for public comment talk about the specifics," said Arthur Sandman, UJC MetroWest associate executive vice president. "We've seen a listing that says we are a recipient of funding. But it doesn't tell us how much we are getting, and we haven't been told whether we got the $100,000 we requested."

According to Sandman, the fund-raising umbrella organization applied for government funds for "what they call target-hardening. There are things that would increase the ability to prevent attacks on the Whippany campus." UJC is housed, along with NJ Jewish News and other community organizations, on the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus in Whippany.

Rabbi Mordechai Baumgarten, director of the Chabad Center of Northwest New Jersey in Rockaway, another recipient, said the organization applied for financing to install security systems at the educational center it is building to house a preschool, a religious school and office, and a mikva.

Like Sandman, he had no clear sense of the amount his group will receive, but he said he plans to spend it on beefing up security at the new building as the school expands its enrollment beyond the 32 children currently in day care and preschool. Baumgarten expects to complete construction before the end of winter.

"Our local police department told us about the grant and recommended we apply," said Baumgarten. "We have a playground for the children, and we have a Torah in the building. The parents want video cameras, we need a surveillance system, and we can't ignore the reality of certain threats out there today."
The NJ grants were a portion of the 308 grants awarded through the Urban Areas Security Initiative Non-Profit Security Grant Program.

Of those grants, 251 are being allocated to Jewish groups, totaling $19.6 million.

The grants announced by the Department of Homeland Security last week total $24 million and vary in amounts, with $100,000 the maximum.

Many of the grants were awarded to organizations in the New York area. Another large concentration was in Maryland, where $900,000 will go to 19 Jewish organizations, including individual congregations and institutions such as the Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Maimonides Academy of Baltimore.

U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez announced the grants in a joint press release on Oct. 4.

"Protecting our residents means protecting our neighborhoods," said Lautenberg in the release. "This funding provides our communities with vital resources to secure local facilities from threats of terrorism. These grants are an important step in our effort to secure our homeland."

"Homeland security begins with hometown security. That's why grants such as these, which provide funds directly to local communities, are so important," said Menendez. "With these funds, organizations will be able to secure their facilities, many of which provide a security blanket of services to members of the community.