Reported pipe bomb explodes outside Chabad House in Santa Monica

From NYPD Shield:

News agencies are reporting there was an explosion outside a synagogue in Santa Monica, California. There are no immediate reports of injuries and local police have not confirmed the cause of the explosion or if the temple was deliberately targeted. We will continue to monitor this event and will advise of any new information that has been confirmed by local authorities.

Read more in the Los Angeles Times.

The Chabad of Santa Monica website reports:

In response to news reports of a pipe bomb in our facility. During morning services today the police department came to Chabad House in response to a report of an explosion. The men that were praying did not hear or feel anything. Rabbi Levitansky grabbed on of the new Torah scrolls so they can finish services. Which they did at the corner of 17th and S. Monica.

Brooklyn and Rockland institutions now eligible for snow reimbursements

FEMA just added four new counties to their original disaster declaration resulting from the December 26th blizzard, including Columbia, Dutchess, Kings and Rockland counties. See their announcement here.Qualifying nonprofits may receive an 87.5% reimbursement of their direct and documented snow removal costs.

Although there may be an extension of the deadline, organizations should work under the assumption that initial paperwork must be submitted by April 6th. To start the process, download two short forms: a Request for Public Assistance (PDF) and a PNP Facility Questionnaire (PDF). Fill them out and submit them by post or fax.

• Mail. Public Assistance Section, NY State Office of Emergency Management, 1220 Washington Ave, Bldg 22, Suite 101, Albany NY 12226-2251.
• Fax. (518) 322-4984

See more information and details on our previous posting here. If you have further questions check out the Disaster Fact Sheet (PDF) and the Applicant Handbook (PDF). If you still have questions email Shannon Green at the NY State Office of Emergency Management (sgreen@dhses.ny.gov).

Another stopgap measure? Draft your responses now.

Pressure is growing in Congress for House and Senate leaders to resolve their differences on a long-term spending bill for FY2011. 

The sixth and likely final short-term stop-gap spending measure (Continuing Resolution) for FY2011 is expected to be approved and signed into law by the President by the end of this week.  It will remain in effect until April 8^th.

The parties appear to be about $30 billion apart on spending cuts for FY2011.  They will need to bridge this gap during the 3 weeks allotted for in the CR.  Once the President signs the bill there probably will be an abbreviated application period for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. We are, therefore, advising interested communities and institutions to take advantage of the pending 3-week period to complete or update required risk assessments and to draft initial application responses, utilizing last year’s (FY2010) program guidance. We want to ensure that people optimize their drafting time and minimize the potential down time that might occur during the Passover Holiday.

The Jewish Federations of North America and JCRC have both established web sites with last year’s guideline materials for your immediate use.  We shall update these materials and post new ones, as additional details regarding the specific FY2011 guidelines become available.  Modifications can always be made to draft applications once the FY2011 guidelines are published by the Department of Homeland Security.

To link to our web page, go to: www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants and/org www.jewishfederations.org/homelandsecurity.

Funds available for Dec 26 blizzard snow removal

New York State recently received a disaster declaration for the blizzard/snow event that occurred on December 26th, 2011. Qualifying organizations affected by the blizzard will be reimbursed for 87.5% of their direct and documented snow removal costs covering a 48 hour period between December 26-27 (you might be able to choose a 48 hour period which includes part of December 28th). The costs must be deemed reasonable and necessary to qualify.

• Should my organization apply for reimbursement? Add up your direct and documented snow removal costs, such as overtime, temporary employees, contractors, equipment rental and ice melter. The process will take some paperwork so your organization will have to determine whether you have sufficient expenses to warrant the work involved.

Jewish groups mobilizing response to Japan quake

By Uriel Heilman · March 11, 2011

(JTA) – Jewish organizations are mobilizing their responses to the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on Friday.
IsraAid, an Israel-based coordinating organization for 17 Israeli and Jewish humanitarian groups, said Friday that it has two teams of rescue personnel, emergency medical officers and water pollution specialists ready to deploy to Japan but was looking for ways to reach the affected area.

Because the airports in the affected area are flooded and Tokyo-area airports closed on Friday, IsraAid said it was exploring the possibility of flying to a nearby country and then trying to make it to northeast Japan, where the tsunami has killed hundreds and devastated cities and towns.

“We’re in touch with local groups to check the situation in the area,” Shachar Zahavi, chairman of the group, told JTA in a telephone interview. “We’re trying to get to the closest airport and then get to the affected area from there.”

The Chabad-Lubavitch movement reported that its emissary in Tokyo said the Jewish community there largely was spared any serious injury or damage from the 8.9-magnitude quake that rocked the city Friday morning. The Israeli Foriegn Ministry said late Friday that some 25 Israelis in Japan still had not contacted family or embassy officials to report on their safety.

ZAKA, the Orthodox-led rescue and recovery organization, announced Friday that it would send a search-and-rescue team to Japan as soon as Shabbat in Israel ended.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would help in whatever way possible.

The Japanese consul in Israel, Mitoshiko Shinomya, told the Israeli news website Ynet that he was heartened by the Israeli government's offer of assistance. "Israel officially offered its help an hour after the earthquake struck,” Shinomya said. “It is very heart-warming, but at this point we do not know exactly what the extent of the damage is, so it is difficult for us to say what can be done.”

The Jewish Federations of North America set up an emergency relief fund to help those in affected areas and urged local federations to do the same. “We are determined to provide emergency relief as quickly as possible and to work with our partners to provide support over the longer term as well," said Fred Zimmerman, chairman of the Jewish Federations' Emergency Committee.
The organization said it is working with its partner the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which also started a Japan/Pacific disaster relief fund, to support relief efforts.

"JDC is now conducting an up-to-the-minute assessment of the situation in Japan and the Pacific Rim and has activated its network of partners to determine critical, immediate needs of the hardest-hit areas," the JDC said in a statement Friday.

B'nai B'rith International and the Orthodox Union also established an eqarthquake emergency fund. A spokesman for American Jewish World Service, which played a leading Jewish role in responding to the massive 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated parts of Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, said it would not be responding to the Japan tsunami because AJWS, which works in the developing world, does not have any partner organizations in Japan.

Still no budget, still no grant process

Rob Goldberg's latest budget and appropriations activities update:

The current fiscal year (FY2011) budget remains unfinished -- a delay of nearly 6 months and counting.  Until the process is completed, the Department of Homeland Security will not commence the next round of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.  Through the current temporary spending measure that is in place, which expires on March 18, the NSGP program is being funded at $19 million.  However, this amount could change as the process remains fluid.

JDC AIDS CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is working with the Jewish community of Christchurch, New Zealand to aid survivors of the city’s devastating earthquake. JDC funding will contribute to Christchurch Jewish community efforts to repair a damaged local synagogue and homes, replace household goods, provide financial stipends and temporary relocation costs, and support community-service or children’s programs for the wider community.

“As we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of Christchurch locals and Israelis lost in the earthquake, we‚re cooperating with the Jewish community to ensure that people on the ground can start to rebuild their lives. As we have done in the past, JDC is delivering much-needed assistance to Jews and others in the wake of a disaster” said JDC CEO Steven Schwager.

In addition to lost property, damaged homes, and businesses, the Jewish community’s synagogue was damaged and the Chabad House was destroyed by the 6.3 earthquake that struck on February 22. Christchurch, New Zealand‚s second largest city, is located in the Canterbury Province which is home to 600 Jews. Jewish settlement in the region dates back to the early 1860’s.

“It means a lot to us to know that we are not forgotten, even though we are just a small community far away” said Bettina Wallace, acting president of the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation.

Nonprofit Security Grant Update III

Rob Goldberg of the Washington Office of JFNA explains:

As many of you know, the President published his budget recommendations for the fiscal year 2012 budget cycle, which begins October 1^st.  With this measure, Congress commences its consideration of the budget and appropriations processes for the session.  Meanwhile, Congress has not yet completed work on the current FY2011 appropriations, leaving the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in limbo (along with many other federally funded programs).

Consequently, the federal government, since October 1, 2010, has been operating under temporary spending measures called Continuing Resolutions (CRs).  The current CR expires on March 4^th.  Ahead of this deadline, Republican leaders of the House of Representatives have drafted a long-term CR that they will bring to the floor for consideration this week.  The CR would fund the federal government for the remaining 7 months of the fiscal year at nearly $60 billion below actual FY2010 spending levels and at $100 billion below the President’s budget request for FY2011.  The draft CR, in conjunction with an earlier CR that expired in December 2010, would fund the Nonprofit Security Program at $19 million.  This is the same amount we were able to secure for the program in FY2010, and $5 million above the FY2009 funding level. 

The draft CR is expected to pass the House when it comes to a vote.  However, it is also believed that the measure will receive stiff opposition from the Democratic majority when it reaches the Senate body.  In the event that the Senate passes a widely disparate version of the CR that cannot be easily reconciled with the House body, or the Senate simply fails to pass the CR at all, Congress will face a significant dilemma.  It will have to agree to pass an additional short term CR that would provide more time for a consensus measure to be reached between the chambers, or it will face the possibility of allowing for a government shut down when the current CR expires on March 4^th.  Often under such time pressures, Congress finds the comity necessary to achieve workable solutions.  In this case, the FY2011 funding impasse presents an early and potentially devastating challenge for the newly divided Congress to overcome.

So, the fate of the NSGP allocation for FY2011 remains tide to the overall resolution of the outstanding appropriations process for FY2011, under conditions where a showdown in Congress is expected in a matter of days. We will continue to work to ensure that the NSGP allocation remains in tact, in accordance with our significant efforts to protect federal social services funding streams of critical importance to the Federation movement.

Hopefully, the nonprofit grant process will begin before Pesach; get started now

Status Update. (from Rob Goldberg, JFNA Washington Office)As you may be aware, Congress has not completed the fiscal year 2011 Appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began on October 1, 2010 and expires on September 30, 2011. This week, the House will determine its overall spending levels for the remainder of FY2011. Using the figure established, the House Appropriations Committee will then determine funding levels for each appropriations bill (there are 12, including DHS).

As the subcommittees receive their spending levels, they will apportion their spending priorities – what gets funded at what level? The results of these efforts will become the substance of the next long-term Continuing Resolution (CR), covering 7 months and terminating at the end of the FY11 fiscal year. The House will then take up the CR on the Floor. It appears that consideration of the CR will include an open rule, where specific provisions of the resolution can be amended. This could get pretty complicated as members try to protect funding for projects (including those that previously might have been funded through earmarks).

Once the House completes the CR it will go to the Senate for consideration. The Senate may be apt to oppose the House on a number of funding reductions. It remains to be seen how the Senate leadership will handle Floor proceedings. There is a gentlemen’s agreement in effect that promotes an open rule where amendments are permitted. Whatever differences that come out of the separate House and Senate deliberations will need to be reconciled before completion/passage of the CR.

The current CR expires on March 4th. Time is ticking by, creating pressure for Congress to complete the process of the next CR. The more open the CR is to the amendment process, the longer deliberations will take. With respect to Nonprofit Security grants, and other funding priorities of the Federations, the program’s allocations will be determined as part of the overall CR process. The House has telegraphed that its version of the CR will contain some $36 billion in cuts. The Jewish Federations has been pressing appropriators to maintain our funding priorities at the highest possible levels, including for NSGP. Once the CR is enacted, we expect that the Department of Homeland Security will commence the grant process within 25 days.

If all goes well, that means that the  New York grant application will be ready sometime around Pesach. 

Get started now. We don't know when the grant will be due and there's a possibility that the application period will be shorter than last year. Although DHS hasn't circulated its grant guidance, we assume that it will require most of the same elements as in years past and you can begin the information-gathering process now, including:

1. Get a vulnerability assessment
2. Get a DUNS Number (If you did this for previous grants you don't need a new one)
3. Check out the JCRC-NY grant assistance website (http://www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants) and look at the requirements from last year's Investment Justification. Put together the information ahead  of time.

Security grants update

 January 18, 2011

Dear Homeland Security Grantees and Other Interested Parties:

As you may be aware, Congress has not completed the fiscal year 2011 Appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began on October 1, 2010 and expires on September 30, 2011.

A stopgap spending measures (Continuing Resolution or CR) is currently in place that extends government funding until March 4, 2011.  Congress has approximately 15 legislative days remaining to complete work on the pending appropriations.

To begin, the House Budget Committee will set spending levels for the rest of the fiscal year (the first 5 months were set in the CR at FY2010 levels).  There are a couple of ways for Congress to fund the remaining seven months.  They could pass another stopgap measure that encompasses the rest of the year at current rates (the FY2010 level) or less (a cut in spending). They also may separate out a number of funding areas to take up as stand alone legislation for Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.  These areas may require a greater level of specificity and flexibility that could not be accomplished through a Continuing Resolution.

With a slow start and few legislative days remaining before the current CR expires, Congress will be under increasing pressure to finish the FY2011 funding cycle.  Adding to the challenge is a divided Congress, led by Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) was funded at $19 million in FY2010.  We can expect that $19 million would be our top number in FY2011, or less, as part of overall spending reductions.  Once Congress completes its work (on homeland security appropriations) and the President signs the legislation into law, we expect that the next round of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, at whatever level has been appropriated, will commence within 25 days from enactment.

We look forward to updating you on the legislative front and next steps in the grant process, once pertinent information becomes available to us.  We expect that our technical assistance work will ramp up and coincide with the release of Department of Homeland Security’s guidance on the FY11 NSGP program.

Stay tuned.

Sincerely,

Rob Goldberg

Senior Director of Legislative Affairs