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Albany synagogue gets bomb threat with others around country
Molly Burke reports in the Times Union that on Sept. 15 multiple synagogues across the country were targeted with bomb threats, including Temple Israel in Albany. The bomb threats came as the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah began. Other bomb threats were made to synagogues in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, and New York City. Rabbi Wendy Anderson said that police officers came to the synagogue when the evening service was almost complete, and asked everyone to move outside. No bomb was found inside, and services resumed the next day. Anderson said, “Why does some jerk with a phone and the ability to Google ‘when is Rosh Hashanah?’ get to interfere with our service?” Because of recurrent recent anti-semitic acts in America recently, the Albany synagogue is well practiced in emergency drills. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan attended services there on Sept. 16 and said, “I went to Rosh Hashanah services to ensure that the members of Temple Israel know that they are not alone in this fight against hatred and bigotry, and I am grateful for the warm and welcoming reception I received.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.