Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is among a group of senators calling for $500 million to boost security at religious institutions as the war in Israel rages on.

Their letter to colleagues on the Appropriations Committee asks they consider the escalating conflict when funding Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

The senators say it must be expected that houses of worship and community centers of all faiths will need more resources to improve security.

They ask half the $500 million go toward eligible nonprofits in high-risk urban areas and the other half go to those outside those areas.

Sen. Gillibrand's office says the FBI recorded more than 11,000 hate crime incidents last year, the most since 1991.