What's happened
The US government has increased federal funding by $400 million for security in places of worship, following a rise in threats against Jewish and Muslim communities. Multiple synagogues and a museum in New York received bomb threats, prompting evacuations, though no explosives were found.
Why it matters
The increase in security funding for places of worship in the US is crucial in addressing the growing concerns over threats targeting Jewish and Muslim communities. The recent bomb threats against synagogues highlight the urgent need for enhanced security measures to ensure the safety of religious institutions and their congregants.
What the papers say
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer emphasized the importance of the funding increase, stating, 'We're going to keep funding so that no synagogue or other religious institution is going to have to live in the fear that they now live with.' The rise in antisemitism and bomb threats against synagogues underscores the necessity for bolstered security measures to protect religious institutions and their worshippers.
How we got here
Antisemitism has been on the rise, with an increase in bomb threats against synagogues in the US and other countries. The recent surge in threats against Jewish and Muslim communities has heightened concerns over the safety and security of places of worship, necessitating additional funding for enhanced security measures.
More on these topics
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Charles Ellis Schumer is an American and Israeli politician serving as the senior United States Senator from New York, a seat to which he was first elected in 1998. A member of the Democratic Party, he has also been the Senate Minority Leader since 2017.
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New York is a state in the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With more than 19 million residents in 2019, it is the fourth-most-populous state.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.