Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is allocating $25 million to enhance the security and safeguard the well-being of the state’s Jewish community.
In a press release on Tuesday, the governor announced that the funds will enable Jewish day schools in Florida to cover their safety and security expenses.
DeSantis affirmed that Florida will persist in safeguarding the Jewish community amidst a period of heightened global antisemitism. “The current funding will provide Florida’s Jewish Day Schools with the necessary resources to ensure the ongoing safety of their students.”
Last year, the Florida legislature authorized the allocation of funds to protect Jewish day schools. The governor has designated the state’s education department to allocate the funds to 134 schools throughout the state.
DeSantis’ recent actions are a result of his commitment to enhance security measures and impose further penalties on Iran in response to the Hamas soldiers’ terrorist attack on Israeli civilians last year.
The recent actions undertaken by Governor DeSantis in support of Israel and Florida’s Jewish community include the following:
Dispatching commercial aircraft to evacuate approximately 700 American citizens from Israel promptly after the Hamas assault.
Instructing the Florida Highway Patrol to provide security for Jewish Day Schools and synagogues throughout the state.
Transporting 85 pallets of donated supplies to Tel-Aviv, Israel, in response to requests from hospitals and government agencies in Israel. The supplies will be delivered via two cargo planes.
Mandating the State University System of Florida and the Florida College System to exempt Jewish students, who possess a legitimate apprehension of being targeted by antisemitic persecution at their present postsecondary institution, from specific transfer application prerequisites.
