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Proponents of the Non-Profit Homeland Security Preparedness Study Act got a second advocacy wind in May, after the attempted terror attack on Riverdale Jewish Center and Riverdale Synagogue in the Bronx.

The four alleged terrorists believed they had C-4 plastic explosives to use against Jews, as well as guided missiles for shooting U.S. military planes - both of which were fakes provided by an FBI informant. Perhaps assuaging fears of further anti-Semitic incidents, the Anti-Defamation League issued a report stating that anti-Semitic incidents were sharply down in 2008, dashed in Queens by 83 percent from 2007.

The would-be terrorists were arrested last month, and indicted Wednesday for conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against the United States and conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles.

Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) and Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) renewed their efforts to push the act forward. The governor vetoed it last year for reasons that are not clear. The act would direct New York's Office of Homeland Security to analyze the security needs of non-profit institutions, namely religious institutions like synagogues, which face higher risk of terrorist attacks. Existing programs which are meant to fortify these institutions against threats would also be analyzed.

The act requires Homeland Security to assess the feasibility of a non-profit homeland security grant for such institutions, and report back to the state legislature by the end of the year.

The Anti-Defamation League, an organization whose mission is to fight anti-Semitism, issued a report this week which stated there were six anti-Semitic incidents reported in Queens in 2008, down from 35 in 2007. New York State saw a decrease to 207 incidents in 2008, from 351 in 2007.

"If there's a rise in anti-Semitism," said Rabbi Michael Weisser of the Free Synagogue of Flushing, "believe me, they would be blowing a trumpet. The ADL is usually right about these things. They really monitor terror and KKK-type activities. I don't have a sense that anti-Semitism is on the rise, but I do have a sense that Islamophobia is on the rise."

Weisser said every synagogue he knows of has some form of security, including his. His synagogue hires a private security staff to monitor the crowd during Saturday services or other events. If grant money does become available to him, he would use it to install cameras to monitor the back parking lot, since the front is monitored by security. He would not use it to hire more security staff, since he does not sense alarm among his congregants, and he wouldn't want to spur any.

Rabbi S. David Taub of Temple Torah in Little Neck said the grant money would be major for his synagogue. He has sensed heightened tenseness among his congregants, and would use the money to hire private security to monitor who comes into the synagogue. His congregation has an open-door policy as a house of worship, which he fears someone with harmful intentions could exploit. He says that his synagogue currently has limited funds for security, but the NYPD monitors the building informally during High Holiday services, when synagogues see a surge in attendance.