Hoax Threat Triggers Police Response at Hamilton Synagogue
HAMILTON, OHIO – Beth Israel Congregation, a conservative synagogue in Hamilton, received an emailed bomb threat on Monday, Dec. 29, prompting a police response and a full sweep of the building. No device was found. Police said additional Jewish institutions in the region received similar emails. Those locations were also cleared with no threats discovered.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, the email contained a brief, crude message and appears to have been part of a mass distribution intended to alarm recipients. Law enforcement officials said there is no elevated threat at this time. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are assisting local authorities and continuing to investigate the matter.
The response followed procedures that have become increasingly familiar to Jewish institutions across the United States: lockdown protocols, police presence, and a pause in routine programming while the building was secured and cleared. Even when the threat turns out to be a hoax, the disruption — and the fear — are real.
Jewish Federation of Cincinnati CEO Danielle Minson called the incident “an attack against our community and an act of antisemitism.”
“We are looking forward to the outcomes from this active investigation and have full confidence in this process,” Minson said. “As this process continues, we encourage everyone to keep living their lives. We practice high-level security every day and work very closely with our law enforcement partners daily. Our institutions continue to follow their established security plans and law enforcement guidance. We encourage everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.”
Former synagogue member Ilana Rosen said that while American Jewish institutions have increased security, they still lag behind what has long been standard elsewhere.
“My husband is from Mexico City, and Jewish institutions there have been tightening security for years,” she said. “He once tried to go to synagogue and wasn’t on the list, so he couldn’t get in. Most synagogues are gated with armed security. We saw that five years ago even.”
Despite the threat, Jewish institutions plan to continue their programming and services. The goal of these emails may have been to frighten Jews out of public life. So far, they have not succeeded.
