No one was harmed after a bomb threat was sent to a Jewish synagogue in Boulder on Saturday.
About 8:30 a.m., officers responded to a bomb threat sent via email to Congregation Har HaShem, 3950 Baseline Road. Boulder police and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office cleared the building and did not detect any threats in or around the synagogue.
The threat received by Har HaShem was also sent to other Jewish synagogues in the surrounding area, according to a release sent Saturday from the city.
“Fortunately, we were able to respond quickly to this threat,” Boulder police chief Maris Herold stated in the release. “We are glad to report that no bomb was found and nobody was hurt.”
Har HaShem Executive Director Alan Friedman and President Jim Edelman released a joint statement on the congregation’s Facebook page stating the threat was made to multiple synagogues in Colorado, and none of the threats have been deemed credible.
“Sadly, threats to Jewish institutions across the country have increased since October 7, and this morning’s threat was part of an ongoing, broader threat,” Friedman and Edelman stated.
Rabbi Fred Greene also posted a statement on the Facebook page commending the bravery of the congregants who were evacuated Saturday.
“With that said, this threat was designed to stoke fear and anxiety in Jewish communities,” Greene wrote. “I hope our response, as best as we can, is to continue to strengthen our brave spaces where we live out Jewish values of hope, justice, peace, and faith.”
Har HaShem will be open Sunday and its programming will continue as scheduled.
The Boulder Jewish Community Center, while not targeted with a security threat, canceled its programs Saturday morning. Executive Director Jonathan Lev and Board Chair Marcia Segall released a joint statement expressing support for Har HaShem.
“We know this is incredibly unsettling for the community, and news like this can spark fear and concern,” Lev and Segall wrote. “… We are grateful for the immediate response and support of our local, regional, and national law enforcement agencies to keep our community safe.”
In 2015, both Har HaShem and the Boulder JCC were sent envelopes containing a white powder. The powder was ultimately determined by authorities to be nontoxic.
Before that, in 2010, a hacker posted antisemitic messages on the Har HaShem website. The hacker also posted similar messages on the websites of the Boulder Rabbinic Council and Boulder synagogue Bonai Shalom.
The FBI was contacted about Saturday’s bomb threat, and the incident is now part of an ongoing investigation. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to call Boulder’s nonemergency dispatch line at 303-441-3333.