On Tuesday, Gov. Ron Desantis announced the allocation of $25 million to protect the safety of Florida’s 134 Jewish Day Schools, which includes one Gainesville school. A separate $20 million was distributed to safeguard Jewish institutions and places of worship.
The schools will use the money to increase safety precautions as a part of DeSantis’ efforts to protect Jewish Day Schools, which opened in 2019. Since 2019, DeSantis has allocated $43 million to Jewish Day Schools.
Gainesville’s B’nai Israel Community Day School, located at 3830 NW 16th Blvd., is receiving $40,000.
The funds were distributed to the Department of Education during the 2023 Special Legislative Session under the “Security Grants” bill. The session was called to action after Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7.
“During a time of increased antisemitism around the world, Florida will continue to protect the Jewish community,” DeSantis said in a press release.
In support of Israel, DeSantis sent passenger rescue planes to Israel, delivered supplies to Tel Aviv, directed Florida Highway Patrol to protect synagogues and Jewish Day Schools. He also required Florida universities to waive certain transfer admission requirements for Jewish students fearing persecution as of Jan. 9.
Contact Megan Howard at mhoward@alligator.org. Follow her on X @meganmhxward.
Megan Howard is a second-year journalism major and the K-12 Education reporter for The Alligator. When she's not writing, you can find her rewatching the Eras Tour movie or reading The Hunger Games series.
