At least 26 synagogues and two Anti-Defamation League offices received phony bomb threats or calls attempting to provoke “swatting,” the unjustified deployment of potentially-lethal law enforcement, the ADL stated.
The trolls employed “highly antisemitic language” and targeted black churches and media organizations, in addition to the synagogues and ADL offices, according to Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the ADL.
Temple Beth Tikvah, a Reform synagogue in Fullerton, Calif., was evacuated during Shabbat services due to a threat, which the Los Angeles Police Department received from someone claiming a bomb would go off in the synagogue in 20 minutes. LAPD called Fullerton officials who evacuated the 30 people in the synagogue.
“Sadly, this is something that many temples, many Jewish houses of worship… have to live with,” said Rabbi Mati Kirschenbaum, the synagogue’s religious leader.
