These days, it is not uncommon for a preschool in a synagogue to have metal detectors at the entrance. For North Hollywood Assemblymember, and father of three boys, Jesse Gabriel, that would have been unimaginable to him when he was a kid.
This is now the new normal, and his 3-year-old son walks through metal detectors on a regular basis.
Jesse Gabriel and his office, in partnership with the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, hosted a California Nonprofit Security Grant Program Workshop at Pierce College’s 600 Building on Tuesday. The workshop was aimed at religious communities and nonprofits who seek grant money for protection from hate crimes and extremism.
“As a kid growing up, that never existed, not even in my wildest imagination,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel and California Senator for District 27 Henry Stern attended the workshop and gave the opening speeches.
Gabriel said that they wanted people from Sacramento to come down to the San Fernando Valley to meet with community organizations and walk them through how they can access the resources from the program.
Program Representatives Matthew Brown and David Nguyen from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CA OES) presented a slideshow where they explained how to fill out Vulnerability Assessment worksheets and forms. On these forms, applicants may fill in detailed information about possible vulnerabilities that threaten their buildings, communities and people.
Applicants can request money to fund reinforcement that they see fit to protect their facilities, such as security cameras, fences and walls.
The workshop was attended by people representing their respective nonprofits and religious groups who have encountered or who face hate crimes and threats. Many attendees were from the San Fernando Valley, but many came from the Greater Los Angeles area.
Director of Institutional Advancement Erinn Alcabes of the nonprofit Wilshire Boulevard Temple said she was very interested in applying for grants because they are a major target as one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in Los Angeles.
“A lot of security infrastructure is needed, and it costs us millions of dollars a year,” Alcabes said. “A program like this is very helpful for ensuring that all of our communities are safe.”
She said that antisemitism and other hate crimes are on the rise.
“I think this is not fixing the problem, but it is helping make it more secure in the face of the problem,” Alcabes said.
Alcabes said that they have had swastikas drawn onto their building as well as break-ins.
Facial recognition software has been implemented throughout their infrastructure, and they have stopped more than 100 people from coming in that should not have been there.
Stern came from Sacramento and said that it was very good to be there on the ground with people from all walks of life.
Stern also addressed the rising hate crimes.
“When I wear a kippah on a Saturday walking up Burbank Boulevard, it is a very different experience than if I don’t,” Stern said.
Administrator at In His Presence Church Ade Fafowora came to the workshop to get more information about the security grant, which they will need at their church in Woodland Hills.
“We’ve had break-ins, and we’ve had people leave abandoned cars in the parking lot,” Fafowora said. “We have to think of the security of the children on-site, especially being a church and having every kind of person walking in.”
Gabriel said the California security grant has been an issue that has been close to his heart for a long time, and it is something that he has worked on before he was elected to the legislature.
He added that with any program that the government is doing, if people don’t know about it, they can’t take advantage of them.
“I’ve been a big proponent of getting out into the community and connecting with organizations, making sure that they understand that the program exists and how to apply for the funding,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel said that while they are trying to do a lot of things through education and through other ways to address hate crimes, keeping people safe in their houses of worship and community centers is an important thing.
“I’ve always been so proud about this effort,” Gabriel said. “It’s a really beautiful example of different faith communities and a really diverse group of people coming together.”
The forms are available in electronic form only, those who wish to apply must submit the work sheet and the form as a PDF to CSNGP@calOES.ca.gov by Oct. 27, no later than 5 p.m.
