Bomb Threats to Jewish Community Centers and Organizations
Since Jan. 1, at least 105 locations of Jewish organizations in the United States — including schools, Jewish Community Centers, and offices of the Anti-Defamation League — have received a total of 146 bomb threats. The majority have come in five of what the JCC Association of North America calls “waves” — groups of robocalls coming on a single day. So far, none of the threats have been carried out.
146 Bomb Threats Against 105 locations
March 22 | One Threat
A New Jersey Synagoge was evacuated March 22 after receiving a phoned-in bomb threat. This was the last bomb threat before the FBI announced the arrest of a man in Israel suspected of making dozens of threats this year.
NJ | Livingston | Temple Beth Shalom |
March 14 and March 15 | Four Threats
On March 14 and 15, at least four JCCs received bomb threats. For most of the centers, this was not the first bomb threat this year.
GA | Atlanta | Marcus JCC |
MD | Baltimore | JCC of Greater Baltimore |
MO | St. Louis | St. Louis JCC |
NE | Omaha | Omaha JCC |
March 9 to March 12 | Seven Threats
In four out of the five days since the last wave of threats, there was at least one bomb threat per day aimed at U.S. Jewish institutions.
CA | Los Angeles | Westside JCC |
CA | Los Gatos | Addison-Penzak JCC of Silicon Valley |
IN | Indianapolis | JCC Indianapolis |
NY | New York City | Brooklyn Jewish Children’s Museum |
NY | New York City | Jewish Association Services |
NY | Rochester | Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester |
WI | Whitefish Bay | Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC |
March 7 and March 8 | 18 Threats
On March 7 and the early morning of March 8, at least 18 locations of Jewish organizations received bomb threats.
AL | Birmingham | Levite JCC |
CO | Boulder | Boulder JCC |
CT | West Hartford | Mandel JCC |
DC | Washington | Anti-Defamation League |
DE | Wilmington | Siegel JCC |
FL | Davie | Posnack Jewish Day School |
GA | Atlanta | Anti-Defamation League |
IL | Chicago | Chicago Jewish Day School |
KY | Louisville | JCC of Louisville |
MA | Boston | Anti-Defamation League |
MA | Framingham | Temple Beth Sholom |
MA | Newton | Solomon Schechter Day School |
MD | Rockville | JCC of Greater Washington |
NY | Rochester | Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester |
NY | Syracuse | JCC of Syracuse |
NY | New York City | Anti-Defamation League |
OR | Portland | Mittleman JCC |
WI | Whitefish Bay | Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC |
Feb. 27 | 35 Threats
In the fifth and largest wave yet, bomb threats were called into at least 35 organizations, including schools, JCCs and an office of the Anti-Defamation League.
AK | Anchorage | Lubavitch Jewish Center of Alaska |
AL | Birmingham | N.E. Miles Jewish Day School |
AZ | Scottsdale | Valley of the Sun JCC |
AZ | Tucson | Tucson JCC |
CA | San Francisco | Anti-Defamation League |
CA | Palo Alto | Oshman Family JCC |
CA | Irvine | Merage JCC |
CA | La Jolla | Lawrence JCC of La Jolla |
CA | Long Beach | Alpert JCC |
CA | San Rafael | The Osher Marin JCC |
CA | Los Angeles | Westside JCC |
CT | West Hartford | Hebrew High School of New England |
DE | Wilmington | Siegel JCC |
FL | Davie | Posnack Jewish Day School |
IN | Indianapolis | JCC Indianapolis |
MD | Baltimore | JCC of Greater Baltimore |
MD | Rockville | Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School |
MD | Annapolis | Aleph Bet Jewish Day School |
MI | Ann Arbor | The Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor |
NC | Asheville | Asheville JCC |
NC | Charlotte | Charlotte Jewish Day School |
NC | Greensboro | American Hebrew Academy |
NJ | Cherry Hill | Betty and Milton Katz JCC |
NJ | Tenafly | Kaplen JCC on the Palisades |
NV | Las Vegas | JCC of Southern Nevada |
NY | Tarrytown | Shames JCC on the Hudson |
NY | New Rochelle | JCC of Mid-Westchester |
NY | Plainview | Mid-Island Y JCC |
NY | Staten Island | JCC of Staten Island |
PA | York | York JCC |
PA | Harrisburg | Harrisburg JCC |
PA | Wynnewood | Perelman Jewish Day School |
RI | Providence | Dwares JCC |
VA | Fairfax | Gesher Jewish Day School |
WA | Mercer Island | Stroum JCC |
Feb. 23 to Feb. 21 | Four Threats
Between waves four and five, bomb threats forced several Jewish organizations to evacuate, including the New Orleans JCC, the Manhattan offices of the Anti-Defamation League and a Jewish day school in Durham, N.C.
CA | La Jolla | Lawrence JCC of La Jolla |
LA | New Orleans | New Orleans JCC |
NC | Durham | Lerner Jewish Community Day School |
NY | New York City | Anti-Defamation League |
Feb. 20 | 12 Threats
In the fourth wave, bomb threats were phoned in to at least 12 Jewish Community Centers.
AL | Birmingham | Levite JCC |
FL | Tampa | Tampa Jewish Federation |
IL | Chicago | Hyde Park JCC |
MN | St. Paul | JCC of the Greater St. Paul Area |
NM | Albuquerque | JCC of Greater Albuquerque |
NY | Buffalo | JCC of Greater Buffalo |
NY | Amherst | JCC of Greater Buffalo |
OH | Cleveland | Mandel JCC |
OK | Tulsa | Charles Schusterman JCC |
TN | Nashville | Gordon JCC |
TX | Houston | Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston |
WI | Whitefish Bay | Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC |
Feb. 1 | One Threat
Between waves three and four, the Hillel Day School near Detroit evacuated after receiving a vague emailed threat.
MI | Farmington | Hillel Day School |
Jan. 31 | 15 Threats
In the third round of nationwide bomb threats, 15 JCCs, including a day camp in Chicago, were evacuated.
CA | La Jolla | Lawrence JCC of La Jolla |
CA | Long Beach | Alpert JCC |
CO | Boulder | Boulder JCC |
CT | Woodbridge | JCC Greater New Haven |
IL | Lake Zurich | JCC Apachi Day Camp |
MA | Worcester | Worcester JCC |
NJ | Tenafly | Kaplen JCC on the Palisades |
NJ | West Orange | JCC MetroWest |
NM | Albuquerque | JCC of Greater Albuquerque |
NY | Syracuse | JCC of Syracuse |
NY | Albany | Sidney Albert Albany JCC |
NY | Vestal | JCC of Binghamton |
OH | Sylvania | Sylvania YMCA/JCC |
UT | Salt Lake City | I.J. & Jeanné Wagner JCC |
WI | Whitefish Bay | Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC |
Jan. 18 | 27 Threats
Just a week after the first wave, a second round of bomb threats were called into at least 27 Jewish organizations, including a few that had already received threats in the first wave.
AL | Birmingham | Levite JCC |
CA | Foster City | Wornick Day School |
CA | San Rafael | The Osher Marin JCC |
CT | West Hartford | Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford |
CT | Woodbridge | JCC Greater New Haven |
DE | Wilmington | Siegel JCC |
FL | Miami Beach | Galbut Family JCC |
FL | Orlando | Roth JCC of Greater Orlando JCC |
FL | Palm Beach | Mandel JCC |
KS | Overland Park | JCC of Greater Kansas City |
MA | Worcester | Worcester JCC |
MA | Newton | JCC of Greater Boston |
MD | Baltimore | JCC of Greater Baltimore |
ME | Portland | Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine |
MI | Detroit | JCC of Metropolitan Detroit |
MN | St. Louis Park | Sabes JCC |
MO | St. Louis | St. Louis JCC |
NJ | Scotch Plains | JCC of Central New Jersey |
NJ | Edison | JCC of Middlesex County |
NY | Albany | Sidney Albert Albany JCC |
NY | Syracuse | JCC of Syracuse |
NY | New York City | JCC of Manhattan |
NY | Oceanside | Barry & Florence Friedberg JCC |
OH | Columbus | JCC of Greater Columbus |
OH | Cincinnati | Mayerson JCC |
TN | Nashville | Gordon JCC |
TX | Dallas | Aaron Family JCC |
Jan. 11 and Jan. 16 | Two Threats
Between the first and second wave of calls, the Israeli consulate in Miami evacuated due to a bomb threat, and the JCC of Staten Island was evacuated after swastika graffiti with the word “bomb” was found on a bathroom wall.
FL | Miami | Consulate General of Israel in Florida |
NY | Staten Island | JCC of Staten Island |
Jan. 9 | 15 Threats
In the first nationwide rash of bomb threats, robocalls made to at least 15 Jewish organizations forced evacuations and panic.
DE | Wilmington | Siegel JCC |
FL | Tampa | Tampa Jewish Federation |
FL | Jacksonville | Jewish Community Alliance |
FL | Boca Raton | Adolph and Rose Levin JCC |
FL | Kendall | Dave and Mary Alper JCC |
FL | Miami Beach | Galbut Family JCC |
FL | Maitland | Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando |
GA | Atlanta | Marcus JCC |
GA | Augusta | Augusta JCC |
MD | Baltimore | JCC of Greater Baltimore |
MD | Rockville | Bender JCC of Greater Washington |
NC | Charlotte | Sandra and Leon Levine JCC |
NJ | Tenafly | Kaplen JCC on the Palisades |
SC | Columbia | Katie & Irwin Kahn JCC |
TN | Nashville | Gordon JCC |
Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 | Five Threats
In a precursor to later events, three Florida Jewish organizations and the Atlanta Jewish Academy were evacuated after bomb threats between Jan. 4 and 5.
FL | Maitland | Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando |
FL | Orlando | Chabad of South Orlando (1/4/2017) |
FL | Orlando | Chabad of South Orlando (1/5/2017) |
FL | Tampa | Tampa Jewish Federation Pre-schools |
GA | Atlanta | Atlanta Jewish Academy |
Sources: JCC Association of North America, Southern Poverty Law Center, Anti-Defamation League, news reports