Maine Faith Groups Demand State Security Grants Amid Rising Religious Tensions
As religious tensions escalate across the United States, synagogues, churches, and other houses of worship in Maine are urgently seeking to enhance their security measures. Faith communities throughout the state are now advocating for the establishment of a dedicated state security grant program, driven by mounting fears and growing concerns over the unreliability of federal assistance.
Federal Funding Frustrations and Local Initiatives
Scott Nussinow, chair of the safety and security committee at Temple Shalom synagogue in Auburn, has been focused on safeguarding his congregation for seven years. The committee was formally established following the deadly 2019 shooting at a California synagogue, which occurred shortly after the antisemitic attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh that claimed eleven lives. Recent events, including a vehicle ramming attack at a Michigan synagogue last week, have only intensified these concerns.
Nussinow notes that while safety risks have always been a reality for Jewish communities, the Israel-Hamas War beginning in 2023 and subsequent conflicts have heightened anxieties significantly. In response, many Jewish organizations have bolstered security protocols, with the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine strictly enforcing safety measures out of an abundance of caution.
Nationally, Jewish organizations allocate an average of 14 percent of their budgets to security, totaling over $765 million annually, according to the Jewish Federations of North America. In Maine, dozens of religious groups have utilized federal funding from the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to install alarm systems, surveillance cameras, fencing, bullet-resistant glass, and improved lighting.
However, Nussinow describes the federal grant process under the Trump administration as a "nightmare," citing prolonged delays of 120 to 180 days without updates or communication. This instability has prompted Maine's religious organizations to unite in pushing for a state-funded alternative, joining at least eighteen other states like Massachusetts and Connecticut that have established their own security funding streams.
Legislative Push and Rising Hate Crimes
State Representative Michael Brennan, a Democrat from Portland, has introduced legislation to create a $1.5 million state nonprofit security grant program. Brennan was motivated by appeals from various faith communities whose members fear attending events due to potential terrorist attacks or hate crimes.
FBI data reveals a troubling increase in hate crimes motivated by religious bias, with forty-two incidents recorded in Maine over a recent five-year period. Nationally, Jewish individuals remain the most targeted religious group, with antisemitic incidents surging by nearly 60 percent following the onset of the Israel-Hamas War—from 1,227 in 2022 to over 2,000 in 2023. Anti-Muslim hate crimes also rose sharply during the same period, from 176 to 283 incidents.
Brennan emphasizes the uncertainty surrounding future federal funding for nonprofit security, despite a pending congressional appropriations bill that could increase program funding to $300 million for the current fiscal year. The Maine House of Representatives is expected to vote on the state measure in the coming weeks after it passed the Judiciary Committee last month.
Multifaith Advocacy and Security Upgrades
Zach Schwartz, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, has been a leading advocate for the state program. His organization and a Portland synagogue received death threats last summer, accompanied by antisemitic flyers distributed in Portland and Bethel. Schwartz explains that many Jewish institutions now feel compelled to hire security guards for large gatherings, facing the stark choice between closing their doors or finding funds for protection.
The proposed state program is modeled after the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, established in 2004 to help high-risk nonprofits enhance security post-9/11. Since 2020, Maine has received $8.1 million through this program, benefiting over three dozen organizations, with synagogues and other Jewish groups receiving more than a third of the funds.
Security upgrades have included infrastructure improvements and event personnel. Temple Shalom in Auburn has installed security cameras and concrete bollards to deter vehicle attacks, though federal restrictions on hiring public safety personnel have led to reliance on contracted security. Brennan confirms that the state program would offer flexibility to hire off-duty police officers, considered a stronger deterrent.
Other religious organizations have also benefited from federal grants. Crosspoint Church in Bangor used over $1 million in funding to upgrade doors, install automatic lockdown features, and add security cameras. Muslim institutions in Maine have received $750,000 since 2020 for similar upgrades. M. Nasir Shir, a leader in Portland's Muslim community, highlights how events like 9/11 and the war in Iran have exacerbated religious tensions, advocating for state funding to hire full or part-time security officers akin to school resource officers.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which received more than $500,000 in federal grants, supports the state bill following a 2023 vandalism incident at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Madawaska that caused up to $300,000 in damage. Suzanne Lafreniere, the diocese's director of public policy, describes the bill as a "prudent, targeted approach" to fund security measures, personnel, and training.
Unity Across Faiths and Ongoing Vigilance
Schwartz's advocacy has fostered a multifaith coalition, with twenty organizations—from Omar Mosque to First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland—endorsing the bill. Among them is Watt Samaki, a Khmer Buddhist temple in Buxton, whose community fled Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime's persecution of Buddhists. Savy Kuch, board secretary for the temple, recounts instances of ignorance, vandalism, and hate crimes faced by the Khmer community in Maine, including zoning complaints aimed at disrupting large events.
Kuch expresses hope for upgraded security systems and notes that the collaborative effort has positively united diverse faith communities, regardless of the bill's outcome. Meanwhile, Nussinow remains vigilant, often monitoring parking lots during services and avoiding larger gatherings due to safety concerns. He reflects, "I go in now with my eyes open. I'm looking for things. I'm looking around corners. I'm looking at exits."
This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
