By Jonathan “Jody” Goldsmith

In Anne Arundel County today, parents are doing something they should never have to do: planning how to protect their children during worship as well as in nursery schools inside faith institutions.

They are scanning entrances instead of focusing on prayer. Identifying exits instead of learning and participating. Quietly asking themselves: what if something happens here?

This is not hypothetical. It is reality for too many families—and it reflects a broader and deeply troubling trend across Maryland.

Hate crimes, especially associated with antisemitism, is rising sharply throughout Maryland. Jewish institutions—from synagogues to schools—are increasingly targeted with threats, harassment, and vandalism. Our community is no longer immune; it is becoming a hotspot. 

To be clear, the County has taken important steps. County Executive Steuart Pittman, law enforcement, and the County’s Hate Crimes Prevention efforts have shown commitment. That work matters.

But it is not enough.

Anne Arundel County is falling behind at a time when the threat environment is getting worse.

Across Maryland and the region, local governments have recognized that hate crimes across all risk groups—especially antisemitic incidents—require proactive investment in prevention. Montgomery, Howard, and Prince George’s Counties, as well as Washington, D.C., have established local security grant programs to help protect at-risk nonprofits and faith-based institutions.

Anne Arundel County has not.

That gap has real consequences.

Churches, synagogues, mosques, and community centers here are spending $80,000 to $100,000 annually on security—guards, surveillance systems, training. These are not optional upgrades. They are the cost of staying open safely in an era of rising hate.

So while public safety is a core obligation of government, these burdens are being paid for privately by the potential victims of hate crimes themselves. 

Federal and state grant programs are not enough. They are oversubscribed, inconsistent, and often inaccessible—especially for institutions facing ongoing threats. Many receive no funding at all.

So the burden falls on congregants, families, and small nonprofits—people who simply want to gather, worship, and serve in peace.

This is not sustainable. And it is not acceptable.

County Executive Pittman will release his new budget on May 1st. He still has time to act—and he should. Establishing a county-level security grant program is not a symbolic gesture; it is a basic responsibility of government in the face of a documented and growing threat.

The model already exists. The need is urgent. What is missing is action.

This issue must also be front and center in the upcoming transition in county leadership. Every candidate for County Executive should be pressed for a clear, actionable plan to confront hate and protect vulnerable communities.

That plan should include:

• Public Safety Commitment: Prioritizing investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, including acts like graffiti and hateful social media posts which often signal escalation. 

• Coordination: A cross-agency effort linking police, the Sheriff’s office, the State’s Attorney, and the County’s hate crimes team and mental health services for rapid response and prevention. 

• Security Funding: A dedicated, reliable funding stream so at-risk institutions are not left to shoulder security costs alone. 

• Leadership: A senior official accountable for coordinating anti-hate efforts and ensuring results. 

These are practical steps already in place elsewhere. Anne Arundel County should not be an outlier.

And while antisemitism is rising at an alarming rate, this is not just a Jewish issue. Black churches, mosques, Sikh gurdwaras, and LGBTQ+ spaces are also targets. Hate spreads—and when one community is under threat, others are never far behind.

As Maryland faces antisemitism and other forms of hate, local government must respond with urgency, clarity, and resources.

Anne Arundel County prides itself on being welcoming and inclusive. But values are only meaningful when they are backed by action—especially when safety is on the line.

No parent should have to choose between their faith and their family’s security.

No potential victim of a hate crime should have to disproportionately fund its own protection against hate.

And no county should wait until tragedy forces its hand.

The time to act is now.

Jody Goldsmith

President, Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake