Bomb Threat Against Rockville Jewish School Investigated

ROCKVILLE, MD — A Jewish school in Rockville was the target of a bomb threat Monday morning, one of 21 similar threats called into 13 Jewish community centers and eight Jewish day schools nationwide. Montgomery County Police said the threat toward the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School was unfounded.

Montgomery County Police spokesman Rick Goodale said the report was made at 9:37 a.m. and officers swept the school but found nothing. He told Montgomery Community Media that investigators are trying to determine where the call, which may have been a pre-recorded message, originated.

Congressman Jamie Raskin said via Twitter that he was appalled by the threats. "The bomb threats against Jewish schools, daycares, & worship centers across the country must stop. @POTUS must take action," Raskin tweeted.

Similarly, the Aleph Bet Jewish Day School in Annapolis also received a phone call claiming a bomb was in the building; it was also unfounded.

On Monday, there were 21 bomb threats called in to centers and schools in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia, according to the JCC Association of North America. All the institutions were declared clear and returned to regular operations. This round of threats brings the total of called in bomb threats over five waves in January and February to 89 incidents at 72 locations (inclusive of JCCs and Jewish day schools) in 30 states and 1 Canadian province.

“Anti-Semitism of this nature should not and must not be allowed to endure in our communities. The Justice Department, Homeland Security, the FBI, and the White House, alongside Congress and local officials, must speak out – and speak out forcefully – against this scourge of anti-Semitism impacting communities across the country," says David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America.

“Actions speak louder than words. Members of our community must see swift and concerted action from federal officials to identify and capture the perpetrator or perpetrators who are trying to instill anxiety and fear in our communities.

“We remain grateful to local law enforcement who continue to serve our communities and ensure that our JCCs and schools remain safe and open for business as the vital community institutions they are,” Posner added.
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