ProPublica

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

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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