A Metro Detroit Jewish Community Center was one of 27 such
institutions in 17 states receiving a second wave of bomb threats
Wednesday. The Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield
was evacuated as a precaution and students were shaken up by
threats directed at Jews, but no one was injured and no explosives
were found, according to media reports.
On Jan. 9, more than a dozen American Jewish centers in nine states
 reported they had received telephone calls threatening a bomb
was inside the building. Those threats were a hoax, too.
The director of an affiliate of the Jewish federations of North
 America that advises synagogues and other Jewish institutions
 on security threats said his organization is in contact with the Federal
 Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.
The FBI and the Justice Department are investigating possible civil

The threats against Jews come at a time when neo-Nazi and white
supremacist groups may feel emboldened, Paul Goldenberg, the
 head of Secure Community Networks, told 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” he
 said, citing a Whitefish, Montana, march that was planned
 last year, but canceled after government, religious and other
 leaders pushed back.
The Jewish Community Center Association of North America
trained staff members in security procedures after the first
 round of threats. David Posner, director of strategic performance
 at the association, said in a statement.
“While we’re extremely proud of our JCCs for professionally
 handling yet another threatening situation, we are concerned 
about the anti-Semitism behind these threats,” Posner said
 in a statement.

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In West Bloomfield Township, students evacuated from the building,
 which houses the Frankel Jewish Academy described confusing
 situation during the 20 to 30 minutes students stood outside
before they were escorted indoors to another facility. They were
eventually sent home for the day, and the JCC building was cleared
around 3 p.m.
“It’s just scary for the whole Jewish community — that they’re
 coming and like aiming, targeting us,” Frankel 10th grader Olivia
Singer told WWJ Radio. “It’s just scary.”
Another student, Ilan Elrom, added: “I think it’s disgusting. I think
 that people need to understand that this kind of hatred, that it
 doesn’t get their message across.”
The first of the 17 threats Wednesday came in about 9:45 a.m. at
 a JCC in Miami, Florida, that was evacuated so police and dogs
could sweep the building. Reuters reported that two centers in
Connecticut evacuated after receiving calls. No bombs were
found in either instance.
Threats were received in several other cities and their suburbs,
including New York, Boston, Nashville, Minneapolis and the
 Orlando area.