JCC bomb threat a hoax, police say

A Jewish community center in Davie was hit with a second bomb threat in nine days, part of a growing number of threats nationwide against Jewish centers and day schools.

The threat was made about 10 a.m. Tuesday to the David Posnack Jewish Day School at 5850 S. Pine Island Road, which was also targeted the morning of Feb. 27, police said.

The earlier threat was found to be a hoax, as was Tuesday’s incident.

At noon, about 650 students in grades kindergarten through 12 were given the all clear to resume class schedules.

“We’re going to continue to respond to these types of incidents and expend the resources necessary to ensure the safety of the public,” Davie Police Capt. Dale Engle said.

“Obviously the Jewish community is a constant target from people who wish harm upon them. Having a Jewish community center in the town of Davie, we’re going to continue to provide the resources necessary to ensure their safety, no matter how often it happens.”

The David Posnack Jewish Community Center was locked down, as were the Jewish Federation of Broward County and Orloff Central Agency for Jewish Education, organizations that share the 40-acre campus with the school.

Students from the school were evacuated for about two hours, a spokeswoman said.

Parent Sigal Perl was outside the school and said her 13-year-old son attended seventh grade.

She said that after the threat Feb. 27, her son was frightened and didn’t want to return to school.

“It’s very scary to the kids, to the parents and to the community, and this needs to be stopped,” Perl said.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said in an email Tuesday that at least 98 incidents against JCCs and Jewish day schools at 81 locations in 33 states have been reported in 2017, according to the Jewish Federations of North America.

He said that a letter cosigned by all 100 senators was sent Tuesday to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director James Comey, to urge swift action to deter the threats.

“These cowardly acts aim to create an atmosphere of fear and disrupt the important programs and services offered by JCCs to everyone in the communities they serve, including in our states,” the senators wrote.

SUSAN STOCKER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Parents wait outside the David Posnack Jewish Day School in Davie where a bomb threat was called in for the second time in nine days. Both incidents turned out to be hoaxes.