Tenafly JCC Target Of Bomb Threat Again

TENAFLY, N.J. – For the second time this month, Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly was among several Jewish centers in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut that received suspicious phone calls Tuesday morning, in what has become a recurring trend, authorities confirmed.

Jerry DeMarco

01/31/2017 3:44 p.m.

“An unidentified caller spoke with a [Kaplen JCC] staff member and stated a ‘bomb’ was in the building” just before 10:50 a.m., Police Capt. Michael deMoncada said.

“JCC staff and security personnel immediately initiated emergency action plans and officers from the Tenafly Police Department responded to provide additional security in the area,” deMoncada said.

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“We are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats," said David Posner of the JCC Association of America.

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The Bergen County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and K-9 units responded, along with Tenafly firefighters and Ambulance Corps members who remained on standby. The center was secured and searched, with negative results, the captain said.

The building was reopened a short time later, he said.

“It was quickly learned that additional Jewish Community Centers around the country were receiving similar bomb threats around the same time,” deMoncada said.

Kaplen JCC and several other Jewish centers received similar threats earlier this month.

An investigation was continuing. Anyone with information that could help authorities in the matter is asked to contact Tenafly detectives: (201) 568-5100.

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