Berkshire County — Three synagogues in Berkshire County received bomb threats via email, in a series of email threats made against synagogues across the country.
According to Jewish Federation of the Berkshires President Judy Usow and Executive Director Dara Kaufman, the bomb threats were made against Congregation Beth Israel in North Adams, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, and Temple Anshe Amunim in Pittsfield.
Usow and Kaufman co-signed an email that was sent on Sunday, December 17. “In each case, the police were notified and responded immediately,” Usow and Kaufman wrote. “The buildings were evacuated and searched. No explosives or any unusual activity were detected. It appears that this specific threat was emailed to multiple congregations across Massachusetts, with additional threats made to congregations across the country. The FBI, the Fusion Center, SCN, and the ADL have all been notified and are working to identify the source of these threats.”
Usow and Kaufman wrote that it has been determined that the emails are not credible threats, but that police departments are taking additional precautions and that they would be adding patrols of local Jewish organizations. “During this time of rising antisemitism throughout our country and our world, we encourage our community to remain vigilant and aware of potential threats,” Usow and Kaufman wrote. “At the same time, we must not succumb to the fear and intimidation these threats are meant to provoke. Together, we will continue to practice our faith and celebrate our culture with joy and pride.”
On Saturday, December 16, the Secure Community Network (SCN) issued a press release that stated that, in less than 24 hours, there were 199 swatting incidents and false bomb threats across the country targeting Jewish facilities. The organization, which operates out of Chicago and New York City, is a safety and security organization for the Jewish community and keeps track of threats across the country.
According to the SCN, the amount of threats was a record number for the organization. “The alarming volume of swatting incidents and false bomb threats being carried out across the country is a major concern for the safety and security of the Jewish community in North America, as well as law enforcement,” SCN National Director and CEO Michael Masters stated in a press release. “SCN, community partners, law enforcement, and public safety agencies take these incidents seriously and are working hard to address them. It’s critical to recognize that these are not victimless crimes or innocent pranks: they can have real—and even deadly—consequences. We appreciate the arrests made to date, recognizing that the often sophisticated and anonymous nature of this activity makes these threats difficult to mitigate. We will continue to work closely with our partners to address this trend, which requires ongoing vigilance, preparation, and communication.”
According to SCN, more than 449 swatting incidents and bomb threats have been made against Jewish organizations so far in 2023. This number is up 541 percent from 2022, when there were 83 incidents. From 2019 to 2021, there were 23 swatting incidents and bomb threats recorded nationwide.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, there have been 124 antisemitic incidents recorded so far this year. There have been four antisemitic incidents in Berkshire County, including two incidents in Great Barrington, one incident in Lenox, and one incident in Dalton. No details about the incidents were listed on the ADL’s website.
