Alyse Weinstein

RELG3010

Dr. Griffith

3/9/2017

JCC Bomb Threats: Not Just a Phone Call

Throughout history, the Jewish people have constantly been the target of attacks

of violence and racism simply because of the religion they choose to practice. Regardless

of time or place, one can probably trace at least one act of intolerance linked to the

Jewish people. Not to say that other races and religions have not been the victims of

harmful acts, Anti-Semitic displays are just often a constant throughout time. Whether it

be forcefully expelling practicing Jews from a country, forcing Jewish citizens to wear

identification at all times, or targeting synagogues and Jewish shops, new forms of Anti-

Semitism constantly arise, and history often repeats itself when it comes to the

persecution of the Jewish people. Especially in current times, as more and more people

attempt to deny the events and effects of the Holocaust, it is more important than ever to

stand out against these acts of intolerance, and speak up for the safety and acceptance of

not only Judaism, but all religions.

Around 10:30am on Wednesday, January 18th, the Mayerson Jewish Community

Center (JCC) in Amberley Village, OH was evacuated because of a bomb threat received

over the phone. The call, which came from a pre-recorded audio message, simply said

several times that there was a bomb somewhere in the building (WLWT). The center,

which includes a preschool, gym, senior center, after-school and summer programs, and

several offices, was evacuated in its entirety to ensure the safety of all those patrons
inside at the time, totaling several hundred people. Marc Fischer, CEO of the Mayerson

JCC said they evacuated out of an abundance of caution and as per protocol

(Brookbank). Officials responded to the call quickly, and the building was searched and

declared clean by around noon on Wednesday (WLWT). While that has been the only

threat to the Mayerson JCC thus far, it is just one reporting in an expansive list of bomb

threats to local JCCs received not only on January 18th, but since early January this year,

all similar in nature and outcome, but just as alarming and urgent as the first.

The first incident in this string of events occurred January 4th and 5th, 2017, when

an Orlando Chabad was evacuated both days following bomb threats. The first instance

of the phoned-in bomb threats that would come to be repeated occurred on January 9th,

when 16 Jewish Community Centers across nine US states received calls stating that

there were bombs in their buildings (Anti-Semitism Timeline). Calls were received all up

and down mostly the Eastern side of the United States, but no bombs were found by the

time they were given the all clear to resume normal activity (Hate Crimes in the US). The

calls were received by automated messages, and all 16 centers were forced to evacuate in

order to search the premises. Nine days later, 27 more JCCs in 17 states received similar

bomb threats on January 18th (Anti-Semitism Timeline). Jewish news agency JTA

obtained a recording of one of the calls:

In a short time, a large number of Jews are going to be slaughtered. Their heads

are going to blow offTheres going to be a bloodbath thats going to take

place. I think I told you enough. I must go now. (Anti-Semitism Timeline)

Still, no evidence of actual bombs placed in any of the community centers were found

after evacuations, and an entire FBI investigation launch created no leads as to who or
what was creating the threats (Dwilson). On January 31st, a third group of Jewish

Community Centers received bomb threats across 10 states, this time reaching as far as

California (Anti-Semitism Timeline). Evacuation procedures were still being followed

exactly, despite no bombs being found to date. Jeremy Russell of the Jewish Community

Relations Council in San Fransisco commented We dont know whats going on. There

are a lot of unknowns. We are very concerned about the existence of these calls and the

literal threat they are imposing on the community (Dwilson).

After a nearly month-long period without threats during which Anti-Semitic

graffiti was found in several cities across the country, a fourth wave of threats were made

to 11 JCCs on February 20th, the very same day almost 200 headstones in a Jewish

cemetery in St. Louis were found damaged or tipped over. Yet again on February 27th,

several more threats were made to centers all across the US, and for the first time during

these events, some were made in the evening, especially on the West Coast (Anti-

Semitism Timeline). Finally, on March 3rd, Juan Thompson was arrested in connection

with some of the threats. Thompson has been accused of being responsible for eight of

the over 60 threats, according to the FBI, most of them contained to the New York area.

At this point, investigations are still underway to try to pinpoint those making the threats,

but the only information right now is that its more methodical than meets the eye

(Dwilson).

Speaking from my own experience, the Jewish Community Center has always

been a place of gathering for numerous activities I participated in, from my Jewish youth

group, to summer camp functions, to community programs and events. It is a place for

people to celebrate their similarities, come together in celebration and in routine

collaboration, and to simply play basketball or work out. That a person feels the desire to

threaten all of that harmless activity with the threat of bombs, regardless of whether it is

true or not, breaks my heart. On the JCCs website itself, they state The JCC welcomes

everyone, regardless of race, religion, or ability (About the J). The people making these

threats are harming not only the Jewish community, but the lives of people completely

unaffiliated with the religion. For those people inside, whether they be preschool children

getting their first glimpse of intolerance, or fully-grown adults who understand the hatred

in the world all too well, it is taking a safe place and making it a reminder of the constant

rejection of innocent people throughout time.

These threats show the importance of standing up for the protection of one

another, supporting our communities in times of struggle, and accepting others regardless

of how they may be different from ourselves. While no lives have been lost or people

have been injured in direct relation to these incidents, the safety of thousands of innocent

people amongst neighborhoods all across America is at risk because of the intolerance a

small number of people have felt it necessary to act upon. Every time a threat is called

into another Jewish Community Center, more and more people are forced to face the fact

that they are not accepted, and that someone feels opposed to their values and ideas

enough to threaten their well-being. These threats are disrupting the learning, progress,

and basic living of the people who utilize these JCCs, and is making them feel harmed

and unsafe in a place that stands for community building, togetherness, and pride.

The threats are forcing people to think of the safety of their entire family, where

there is frequently more than one member of a family in a JCC at the same time. In the

case of the Cincinnati bomb threat, Ashley Stokar is an employee at the Mayerson Jewish
Community Center, where her child also attends preschool during the week. When news

of the threat spread across the building, she headed to the preschool wing to help the

teachers move kids outside and later commented Its a scary world we live in. Its kind

of numbing, I dont have any way to articulate that. It sucks. It sucks that we have to live

through this and its just the word we live in (Brookbank). Even despite having found no

bombs from any of the reports thus far, the threats still have to be taken as the imminent

dangers they are. Josh Cohen, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in New

Jersey states that the threats are used as scare tactics in order to disrupt an institutions

operation and cause fear and panic, but these threats are serious and must be taken

seriously (Alund).

These instances just serve as a reminder that there is intolerance all around us,

even if we have made great strides away from marginalization. It is infuriating that

someone feels insecure enough to play such a foolish trick on so many people, and

especially when they threaten the safety of hundreds of harmless children that attend

programs within these centers. While we can consider ourselves fortunate that no bombs

have actually been found, the act of calling in such a threat just to induce panic and fear

is just as harmful to the emotional and mental well-being of the patrons of these centers.

These reports are threatening the safety and peace of mind of people all across the US,

and are proving once again that the world is far from a religiously and generally tolerant

place.
 Works Cited

"About the J." Mayerson JCC. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Alund, Natalie Neysa. "Jewish Centers in at Least 9 States Receive Bomb Threats."

Cincinnati.com. N.p., 09 Jan. 2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

"Bomb Threat at Amberley Village Jewish Center May Be Tied to Multi-state Scare."

WLWT. WLWT, 18 Jan. 2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Brookbank, Sarah. "Mayerson JCC Parent: Bomb Threat 'kind of Numbing'."

Cincinnati.com. N.p., 18 Jan. 2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Dwilson, Stephanie Dube. "Jewish Community Center Bomb Threats List: Which JCCs

Have Been Threatened?" Heavy.com. N.p., 03 Mar. 2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Miere, Jason Le. "Anti-Semitism Timeline..." International Business Times. N.p., 27 Feb.

2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Miere, Jason Le. "Hate Crimes In The US: 48 Jewish Community Centers Received

Bomb Threats In January As Part Of 'Telephone Terrorism'." International

Business Times. N.p., 16 Feb. 2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.