Jewish Federation in the Heart of NJ is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a $100,000 early childhood security grant from The Tepper Foundation through Jewish Federations of North America, helping to protect our most vulnerable population during a time when antisemitism is spreading across the nation.

The funds are given with the intention of hiring security personnel to protect pre-schools, day camps and after-school programs, as well as supporting other faith communities’ security needs. 

"At a time of rising antisemitism and other threats, enabling our community to invest in security awareness, preparedness, and resilience is a top priority," said Susan Antman, Jewish Federation in the Heart of NJ Executive Director. "We are proud to be one of a select number of Federation across the country to have proactively sought this funding and been granted it for the benefit of our most precious young community members." 

The Tepper Foundation has been a major partner with Jewish Federations of North America in response to the growing number of antisemitic incidents in the United States since the October 7th Hamas terror attacks on Israel. The organization launched the Security Fund in November 2023 and has now made grants of more than $12 million across the nation to support the security needs of the American Jewish community.

“Right now, nothing is more important than protecting our children and giving them a safe environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive as people,” said Jewish Federations of North America Chair Julie Platt. “We’re thrilled that the Tepper Foundation continues on this journey with us during such difficult times.”

The Tepper Foundation’s current round of grants totalled $9 million and was awarded to 76 local Federations across 30 states. 

Building on the success of Jewish Federations’ Security Initiatives, Jewish Federations have become The Tepper Foundation’s partner in continuing to ensure the safety of Jewish communities nationwide. 

Many Federations, such as Jewish Federation in the Heart of NJ, have established comprehensive security plans and have committed to building and strengthening relationships with other religious leaders and faith-based institutions in their communities by sharing their security expertise. This is a new aspect of The Tepper Foundation’s commitment to security, aimed at improving interfaith relations as well as enhancing safety for all populations confronting hatred.

“Without basic security for our children, the Jewish community cannot flourish,” said Shira Hutt, Executive Vice President of Jewish Federations of North America. “We are proud of the immense progress we have made on securing our community, but the unprecedented spike in antisemitism that our community has experienced since October 7th has created the need for both additional security resources and renewed outreach to our interfaith partners.”

For more information, contact us or visit our security web pages. 

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