Jackson rabbi: Congregation has 'increased vigilance' after bomb threats to Jewish temples

Beth Israel Congregation, which is Mississippi's largest Jewish synagogue, was forced to cancel its Sunday morning service due to receiving a threat via email about a bombing.

In a statement sent to congregants, leaders said they spoke to the FBI twice, during which the agent informed them that the FBI assessed the treat and deem it as "non-credible."

Even though the threat was a "hoax," Rabbi Joseph Rosen at Beth Israel Congregation said there has been a sense of "increased vigilance" for his members.

"When we got this particular email Sunday morning, it was just a kind of plain and simple death threat to the congregation," Rosen said. "The fact that folks are able to easily make these kinds of intimidations is a frightening development in our society."

"Right now, it's the fear that we don't want this to be the new normal for us or for anyone else. No one should have to fear this kind of hateful intimidation in their places of worship."

The topic of violence occurring at the temple isn't new for Beth Israel. Beth Israel dates to before the Civil War in Jackson.

Nearly 60 years ago, the Ku Klux Klan bombed both the temple’s office and former Rabbi Perry Nussbaum's home in November of 1967. No one was killed during that incident.

The 1967 bombing came about after Beth Israel leaders became involved in the civil rights movement.

Rosen said that was a time when people in the neighborhood and the interfaith community rallied around the Jewish community to learn more about the fear and the threat that they were facing.

Rosen said he is appreciative of the "outpouring of love and support" that has continued over to this day.

"I'm very thankful to leadership and to law enforcement in Jackson for being attentive. When the threat was received, we were given the attention that we were needed, and things were handled efficiently," Rosen said. "Interfaith colleagues and other faith communities showed that they wanted to be attentive to us, have a presence with us and stand in solidarity with us against the kind of hatred that burns us all."

In the last week, more than 400 Jewish facilities across the US have received false bomb threats via email, according to the Anti-Defamation League, an international Jewish non-profit organization.

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There have been two other Jewish temples across the state of Mississippi who have received similar threats.

On Thursday, Dec. 14, the Temple B'nai Israel in both Columbus and Tupelo were also recipients of a bomb threat. In both incidents, the police searched the area and found no threat.

The FBI described both of the Columbus and Tupelo threats as "hoax incidents" in media reports, and that they did not find "information to indicate a specific and credible threat."

The Jackson FBI Field Office said the Beth Israel incident in Jackson was considered a "hoax" as well, and they are working to ensure safety in worship communities.

"The FBI is aware of the numerous hoax incidents wherein a bomb threat was made at a Mississippi synagogue. The FBI takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk," the FBI said in a statement.

"While we have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately."

In spite of the threats across the state, Rosen said he believes it's important for the Jewish community to keep being persistent in who they are.

"We have to say, 'no, this isn't going to keep us from being Jewish.' We must continue to celebrate and engage with our heritage," Rosen said. "This is a time when we have to stay in touch with our convictions and continue our desire for the promotion of peace, justice and safety for all people."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Bomb threats at Beth Israel Jewish temple in Jackson MS