14 Jewish Community Centers Receive Bomb Threats Tuesday (UPDATE)

At least 13 Jewish Community Centers in the U.S. and one in Canada received bomb threats Tuesday, marking the third wave of such threats in a month, the JCC Association of North America said in a statement.

Threats were reported to centers in all parts of the country, including Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and California.

“Today, a third wave of bomb threats called in to Jewish community centers has caused 14 centers in 10 states plus one Canadian province, to quickly carry out practiced security protocols to ensure the safety of their participants and facilities," David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America, said in the statement. "While the situation is developing, most have already received the all-clear from local law enforcement and resumed regular operations, with a heightened level of security."

According to the JCC Association of North America, threats were called into the following centers:

California
Alpert Jewish Community Center, Long Beach
Lawrence Family JCC, La Jolla

Colorado
Boulder Jewish Community Center

Illinois
Lake County JCC, Lake Zurich

New Jersey
JCC Metro West, West Orange

Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Tenafly

New York
Sidney Albert Albany JCC

Jewish Community Center of Syracuse

Massachusetts
Worcester JCC

New Mexico
Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque

Ohio
JCC of Toledo, Sylvania

Utah
I.J. & Jeanné Wagner Jewish Community Center, Salt Lake City

Wisconsin
The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Milwaukee

CANADA – Ontario
London Jewish Community Centre

A threat, but not specifically a bomb threat, was also called into the JCC of Greater New Haven in Connecticut.

27 Jewish community centers in 17 states received threats Jan. 18 and on Jan. 9, 16 centers in nine states received threats, according to the statement.

“We are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats. All threats from the previous two dates have been determined to be hoaxes," Posner said. "The FBI is actively investigating the source or sources of these calls. We are relieved that no one has been harmed and that JCCs continue to operate in a way that puts the safety of their staff, visitors, and premises first.”

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article said this marked the second wave of such threats. It has since been corrected to state that it was the third wave of such threats. Patch regrets the error.

Image Credit: Albany Police