48 Jewish centers received bomb threats in January, leaving many in the Jewish community on edge and wondering why President Donald Trump has publicly sidestepped the issue.
The wave of bomb threats affected Jewish Community Centers in 27 states across the country last month and one Canadian province. There were a total of 60 bomb threats in all with some centers receiving multiple calls, most made in rapid succession on Jan. 9, 18, and 31, reported CNN.
The FBI recorded more than 1,270 hate crime incidents targeting Jews in 2014 and 2015, more than any other religious group.
"The neo-Nazi or white supremacist hate groups seem to be becoming much more vocal," said Paul Goldenberg, director of Secure Community Networks — an affiliate of the Jewish federations of North America, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
"Their threats are much more specific, in some cases they're calling for armed marches. … In some cases, leaving very specific threats against Jewish communities — bombing threats, harassment."
Some have said the threats have been particularly unnerving because the centers are so important to the Jewish community in many areas.
"So much of being Jewish is built around community," Jordana Horn, a mother of six in New Jersey whose children visit the local JCC, per CNN. "Everything from prayer to mourning to celebration you need to have a community around you. You need to have a place where everyone can gather."
The Los Angeles Times said Trump sidestepped questions twice this week about the reported increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S.
"Here's the story, folks. Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life," Trump said at his news conference on Thursday. "Number two, racism, the least racist person."
The Anti-Defamation League's national chair Marvin D. Nathan and chief executive Jonathan A. Greenblatt, issued a statement saying that Trump missed an opportunity to condemn recent anti-Semitic acts.
"In light of the bomb scares, online harassment, physical vandalism, death threats and other hate crimes, there is a simple question at hand that Americans of all faiths deserve an answer to – what is the Trump Administration going to do about the recent surge of anti-Semitism?"
"What concrete steps will the White House take to address intolerance? We are going to keep asking these questions – and urge others in the press and public to do so as well – until we get a clear answer from our president."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.