Rise in JCC threats concerns members of Jewish community

By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com
Twitter: @RTurcoABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – There has been rising concern among members of the 
Jewish community, following a rash of threats to Jewish Community 
Centers across the country. 

Since January, there have been more than 60 threats to Jewish centers, 
including eleven bomb threats Monday. 

"This unfortunately is omnipresent and it’s vile," said Jeffrey Savit, 
president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. 

Rhode Island has not been targeted in these threats, but the concern is 
always there. Savit says security is always on the brain, so he’s 
confident in the center’s procedures and protocols. 

"We’re not walking around here nervously," he said. "We’re proceeding 
as we would on a daily basis, as we would normally proceed around here. 
But that doesn’t mean that we’re not as vigil as humanly possible."

Savit is hoping for a greater sense of community to combat the threats. 
"We’re all in this together and there is great strength in community," 
he said. 

The FBI and justice department are investigating the threats. President 
Trump denounced anti-Semitism Monday, after taking heat critics who 
said he had not come out strongly enough against the threats. "The 
anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community 
centers are horrible and are painful," President Trump said. 

Savit hopes the president’s words act as a deterrent. "We cannot let 
those who are doing this and trying to scare the country win," he said. 

Savit plans on sending a letter to members of the community center 
about the threats, offering words of comfort to anyone who feels uneasy. 

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017