Livingston Jewish Temple, Preschool Get Bomb Threat: Reports

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Livingston’s Temple Beth Shalom and an adjoining school in the area were evacuated Tuesday after receiving a telephone bomb threat, authorities say.

The Essex County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a threat was made to the temple, which is located on E. Mount Pleasant Avenue in Livingston and includes a nearby preschool, Pix11 New York reported.

Multiple units from the Essex County Sherriff’s Department and Livingston Police Department -including K-9 and bomb squad units – responded to the scene, CBS New York reported.

The premises was declared safe and everyone returned inside by 12:15 p.m., NJ Jewish News stated.

According to the temple’s website, Philip J. Solondz Preschool and the Fran and Howard Muser Religious School are both located on the premises.

Following Tuesday's bomb threat, U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen issued the following statement:

"I am saddened by reports of yet another shameful anti-Semitic threat against another synagogue, this time at Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston. These are not just attacks against the Jewish religion, heritage, culture and values, but are crimes against our entire nation. America was built on the foundation of religious tolerance. Anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry must end.”

The threat makes the Livingston temple the latest Essex County Jewish institution to report a bomb threat this year. Repeated waves of such threats have taken place across the nation, including at The Jewish Community Center (JCC) in West Orange.

• See related article: Support Grows For West Orange Jewish Center After National Wave Of Threats