On May 4, more than two dozen synagogues and other Jewish institutions in New York City, Long Island and upstate New York received a disturbing text message containing a bomb threat.
Authorities told the New York Post that the message read, “Hello, if you see this email just have notice of a bomb I have set inside of your building.”
“This isn’t a threat,” it said. “I have set a bomb in your building, you have a few hours to disarm or else blood will shatter everywhere.”
Sources disclosed to The Post that the threat came from a group calling itself “Terrorizers111.”
“The targets included 14 Manhattan synagogues and Jewish centers, five in Queens and another two in Brooklyn — with two more upstate temples and one on Long Island,” the Post reported.
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The New York Landmarks Conservancy received a similar emailed threat.
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Heightened antisemitism
The threats come at a time of heightened antisemitism across the city’s five boroughs and while pro-Palestine protesters march in the streets and set up encampments on many of the nation’s college and university campuses.
On May 5, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), said upwards of $400 million in federal funds will be disbursed to help protect houses of worship by supplying security guards, cameras and barriers.
Following the bomb threat, Schumer said in a statement on Sunday, “Last night’s bomb threats targeting New York City synagogues created immense fear, but sadly, these threats are not a total shock given the rise in antisemitism that we have seen and the overall spike in threats to places of worship.”
“Protecting our nonprofit community spaces, like our synagogues, mosques, churches and more has unfortunately demanded more help at the federal level as the threats have increased,” he said. “These funds are to help lessen the unease across the city in the places where we worship, pray, and learn.”
Since the Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year, antisemitic incidents have spiked in the country, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
The ADL says that in 2022 there were 8,873 documented incidents of antisemitism, however following the Hamas attack, there were 5,204, including 1,009 bomb threats.
