We shouldn't live in a country where synagogues need armed guards and bomb-proof barriers just to hold preschool classes. But we do.

The attack on Temple Israel proved it. A man drove a car loaded with explosives into a synagogue where 140 children were inside. He was carrying a rifle. The only reason this didn't end in mass murder is that trained, armed security guards were on site and stopped him. Temple Israel had completed active shooter training with local police just six weeks earlier. That preparation saved lives.

This is exactly what the Nonprofit Security Grant Program exists to fund: cameras, access controls, reinforced entryways, and contract security guards that stand between our communities and the people who want to destroy them.

OU Advocacy is calling on Congress to fully fund NSGP at $500 million so that no synagogue, school, or community center is forced to choose between security and solvency.

Take a moment to send a letter to your representatives urging full NSGP funding. After Temple Israel, there is no excuse for delay.