Jewish man is escorted from from the site of a shooting in Halle
Jewish man is escorted from from the site of a shooting in HalleReuters

Germany announced on Thursday it is providing 22 million euros ($26 million) to improve security in synagogues and other Jewish sites in the country following the anti-Semitic attack in Halle on Yom Kippur last year, The Associated Press reports.

The government pledged to step up security after a right-wing extremist tried to force his way into a synagogue in Halle during Yom Kippur services last October.

The perpetrator shot and killed two passersby after being unable to shoot his way into the synagogue.

The botched attempt at carrying out a massacre caused alarm in Germany, which has sought to protect its Jewish population in response to the genocide of 6 million Jews perpetrated during the Nazi era.

“The Jewish community can rely on the German government to do everything to ensure their necessary protection,” Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said. “We’re aware of our responsibility.”

The head of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, said the new funds would help Jewish communities that are struggling with the financial burden of security measures.

“The attack in Halle drastically (shows) us that Jewish life needs massive protection,” he said.

According to data released in May, Germany recorded the highest number of anti-Semitic crimes nationwide since 2001 last year, with the vast majority of the anti-Jewish crimes reported ascribed to far-right wing perpetrators.

Following the Halle attack, the German government promised to introduce a law making it possible to increase penalties when a crime involved an anti-Semitic motive.