In the fall, I participated in a fellowship with the Religious Action Center (RAC), where Jewish teenagers from around the country collaborated on social justice issues. In the fellowship, we each chose a project to help the community: I’ve been spreading awareness about the Pray Safe Act. 

The Pray Safe Act is a piece of legislation designed to provide resources for all houses of worship that want more security measures. This is important because it allows all religious communities to access federal grant programs to provide enhanced safety. These newer, stronger resources are a tremendous boost to security at synagogues, mosques, churches and many more religious institutions. The more people who support this bill and flood politicians’ emails, the sooner it will be passed. 

To support the Pray Safe Act, you can visit www.votervoice.net/URJ/campaigns/97977/respond. It’s extremely quick to fill out. Each person just needs to scroll to the bottom, where there is more detailed information and an area to fill out a message. For ease, there’s an automatic message that can be used or altered based on personal preference. The automatic message uses the words “Reform Jew,” but they can be changed to fit the sender’s religious background. In other words, you do not have to be from the Reform branch of Judaism or Jewish at all in order to send a message in support of this bill.

I am incredibly fortunate to belong to Temple Israel, which among its other attributes, puts congregants at ease due to a robust security presence. Beyond the physical assistance security officers contribute, they bring a mental reassurance for attendees. 

The benefits of security are significant, but unfortunately not guaranteed, as not all places of worship in the United States have effective security protocols. This bill is crucial, so any support shown is powerful and appreciated.