New Jersey synagogue threat ‘no longer considered active,’ local Jews are told
AntisemitismType of threat not specified

New Jersey synagogue threat ‘no longer considered active,’ local Jews are told

Suspect identified and threat eliminated

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

This is a developing story.

(JTA) — The morning after the FBI announced a “broad threat” to synagogues in New Jersey, local Jews are being told they no longer need to worry.

Public communication by representatives of the Orthodox Union in New Jersey said the FBI and local law enforcement had identified a person behind the threat and eliminated the concern.

“The threat is no longer active,” the head of Golda Och Academy, a Jewish day school in West Orange, New Jersey, emailed parents on Friday morning, shortly after the school day began.

What kind of threat synagogues faced had not been specified previously and was not specified in the communication by the Orthodox Union or the day school. The FBI did not immediately announce updates in its investigation Friday morning nor shed light on what mitigation had taken place.

The broad and unusual threat had thrown Jews and their congregations into a state of alarm late Thursday, and many synagogues interrupted their normal operations Friday to shore up their security protocols.

“We will continue our heightened vigilance, but I wanted you to have this reassuring information, which has not yet been reported publicly,” the day school leader, Rabbi Danny Nevins, wrote in his email. He said he had been told by two sources that the threat was no longer present.

Nevins’ email indicated the extent to which the threat, which comes as American Jews are already on a state of high alert, had affected members of his school community.

“Several parents have asked our security guards if they are armed,” he wrote. “We have been advised not to publicize our specific security measures, but I want to reassure you that our security professionals are all former police officers and are well trained and well equipped to respond to threats to our school community.” PJC

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