Bomb Threat At Owings Mills Jewish Community Center Apparent 'Hoax': CEO

OWINGS MILLS, MD — A bomb threat Monday morning at the Jewish Community Center in Owings Mills appeared to be connected to a series of hoaxes nationwide, the CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore reported.

The bomb threat to the center in the 3500 block of Gwynnbrook Avenue was phoned in at 10 a.m., according to a letter from Barak Hermann, CEO of the JCC of Greater Baltimore, who said that the building was swept and an evacuation was deemed unnecessary.

"Once the threat was received, we immediately followed our safety and security protocols and coordinated with Baltimore County law enforcement," Hermann wrote. "After consultation and conducting an extensive sweep of the building, we determined that an evacuation of the JCC was not required."

Said Hermann: "Law enforcement and our security consultants believe that these threats appear similar to the 'hoax' threats that JCCs have received over the last two months."

There were 11 threats phoned in to JCCs across the country last Monday, Feb. 20, bringing the total number of threats to 68 since early January, according to the JCC Association of North America.

This was not the first time that the JCC of Greater Baltimore has been threatened. The Park Heights center received phone threats on Jan. 9 and Jan. 18.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are reportedly investigating the incidents.

Hermann said civilians had a role as well, stating: "As a community, we must continue to work together to combat anti-Semitism in all its forms."

• Maryland Lawmaker 'Deeply Concerned' About JCC Bomb Threats
• Bomb Threat Reported at Jewish Community Center in Park Heights
• Park Heights Jewish Community Center Evacuated After Threat

Here is the letter from JCC of Greater Baltimore CEO Barak Hermann:

Dear JCC Members and Friends,
This morning, February 27, at 10:00am, we received a bomb threat by telephone at the front desk of the Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC. We were one of multiple JCCs and Jewish day schools on the east coast that have received threats today.

Once the threat was received, we immediately followed our safety and security protocols and coordinated with Baltimore County law enforcement. Law enforcement and our security consultants believe that these threats appear similar to the "hoax" threats that JCCs have received over the last two months.

After consultation and conducting an extensive sweep of the building, we determined that an evacuation of the JCC was not required. We continue to make security and safety our foremost priority. We are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, as well as the Secure Community Network (SCN), which is focused on security for Jewish institutions throughout North America.

We are working closely with our local Congressional representatives, the Justice Department, and the FBI to intensify the efforts to address these threats. It is imperative that immediate steps be taken to respond to the situation and identify and prosecute the perpetrators, so that we can stop future acts of intimidation. Our security team has declared that our JCC is safe and is continuing regular operations.

We will continue our communications to keep you fully apprised of the evolving situation. As a community, we must continue to work together to combat anti-Semitism in all its forms.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know at info@jcc.org.

B'shalom,

Barak Hermann
CEO JCC of Greater Baltimore