Over the weekend, at least two synagogues in California were evacuated during their Shabbat services as a continuing barrage of fake bomb threats and security scares,

orchestrated by online trolls, enters its fourth week targeting Jewish congregations.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported that at least 26 congregations across 12 states have been subjected to these threats. The ADL is sounding the alarm about this worrisome trend, suspecting that the attackers are selecting their targets based on the availability of livestreamed services and events. Their aim seems to be observing the congregations' real-time reactions to the threats.

Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL's Center on Extremism, commented on the situation, saying, “This is the result of individuals coming together around their hatred of Jews and exploiting technology to amplify that sentiment."

The two California synagogues affected by the recent threats were Temple Beth Torah, a Reform congregation in Fremont, which evacuated its premises on Friday evening, and Temple Beth Tikvah, another Reform congregation in Fullerton, which followed suit during Saturday services. Both synagogues had received anonymous bomb threats via phone calls.

A livestream from Beth Tikvah captured the tense moment when the threat was communicated to the prayer leaders. Rabbi Mati Kirschenbaum interrupted the service, explaining, “I'm afraid we need to stop and leave the building right now." This was followed by Cantor Shannon McGrady Bane stopping her singing, nodding in agreement, and exiting the camera's view. A message for viewers then appeared: “Coverage will be stopping.”

As of Monday, Temple Beth Torah and Temple Beth Tikvah had not responded to requests for comments.

While the wave of threats has targeted not only Jewish institutions but also ADL offices and other religious congregations, the main driving force seems to be antisemitism. Segal noted that the language used in the phone calls exhibits what he referred to as "lowbrow and classic antisemitism." These acts do not appear to be orchestrated by larger antisemitic groups.

Although previous instances of false threats have affected synagogues, the sustained nature of this ongoing campaign is unprecedented. The increase in livestreaming services by synagogues since the pandemic began has created a new avenue for disruption. Segal emphasized that while the ADL doesn't advise congregations to stop livestreaming, they should be vigilant as "bad actors" may seek to exploit this technology, particularly during the upcoming High Holidays.

Segal highlighted the significance of this situation, stating, "What sets this apart is that it's a specific campaign utilizing tools that many of us take for granted but have clearly been weaponized. As the High Holidays approach, it's another concern that communities need to be prepared for." Photo by Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia, Wikimedia commons.