Faith leaders condemn recent bomb threats at Rochester-area houses of worship

Faith leaders and police on Monday spoke out at a news conference about recent bomb threats at two Rochester area houses of worship and an incident at a synagogue in Brighton during the Rosh Hashana holiday.

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days leading up to Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. Rosh Hashana, which translates from Hebrew to mean the “head” of the year, is commemorated with special prayers, foods, gatherings and more and this year started Friday night and concluded Sunday night.

The first of the three incidents occurred during a Rosh Hashana service at Temple B'rith Kodesh in Brighton on Friday night. A man was detained by police after causing a disruption by "rambling loudly" at the start of the service inside the synagogue, according to Brighton police. No charges were filed in connection with the incident but Brighton police increased security at the synagogue for the remainder of the weekend.

Rabbi Peter Stein of Temple B'rith Kodesh described the disruption as "scary" and "disconcerting," but noted that members were not deterred by the incident as many attended Saturday Rosh Hashana services and he expects them to return this coming weekend for Yom Kippur.

Mark Henderson, regional security director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, said that two Jewish congregations received identically worded bomb threats via email early Sunday morning.

One email threatened Temple Beth-El in Geneva, Ontario County, before a morning service. Rabbi Ann Landowne said based on the wording, she suspected the threat was a hoax, "but it was also very scary," she said. The message, Landowne said, alleged that multiple bombs were inside the building and that there would be a “pool of blood."

Landowne alerted the Jewish Federation and Geneva police. Members from the Ontario County Sheriff's Office explosive detection K-9 team searched and cleared the synagogue. The Abbe Center for Jewish Life at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located across the street, was also temporarily evacuated Sunday morning, she said.

Temple Beth-El's morning service took place online rather than in person, "out of practicality," she said.

That same morning, Mountain Rise United Church of Christ in Perinton, which also houses Congregation Etz Chaim, also received a bomb threat, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. The church was evacuated, just as a morning church service ended, and searched by deputies and K-9 units. Nothing suspicious was located at the church and an investigation will continue, said Lt. Shaun LeClair of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

“Anti-Semitism does not just affect Jews, it affects everybody and it spreads like a cancer,” said Rabbi David Abrahams of Congregation Etz Chaim. "We are not going to back down."

The New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force and Federal Bureau of Investigation were both alerted to the threats and will further investigate both bomb threats, Henderson said.

While the two emailed threats are believed to be related, Henderson said it did not appear that the in-person disruption at Temple B'rith Kodesh was linked to the bomb threats.

"When you have a (religious) service, you welcome people in," Henderson said, nothing that those nearby had keen situational awareness, noticed someone acting unusual and acted quickly. Rabbi Stein said the synagogue has security measures in place for services celebrating the Yom Kippur holiday on Sunday and Monday.

Henderson said that many synagogues in the Rochester region will have an "enhanced" security and police presence this weekend.

"The best thing we can do is continue to be strong, show up and participate," said Meredith Dragon, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Faith leaders condemn bomb threats at Rochester-area houses of worship