Natalie Neysa Alund, and Holly Meyer

The Tennessean

Nashville's Jewish community center was evacuated Wednesday morning after a bomb threat, a scene that has become familiar in Nashville as well as in more than a dozen other states.

The threat in Nashville was reported at 9:25 a.m. at the Gordon Jewish Community Center at 801 Percy Warner Boulevard, Metro police said. It was one of 27 threats reported at Jewish centers across at least 17 states Wednesday, according to the JCC Association of North America.

The Wednesday incidents come more than a week after a similar string of threats were called in to 16 centers in nine states, including the Nashville facility.

Bomb threats reported at Jewish centers in Nashville, 4 states

“In the wake of last week’s calls, JCCs were well-prepared for the calls received today," said David Posner, with the national association in a statement. “Again, we appreciate the quick and thorough response from federal and local law enforcement."

By 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, staff at the Nashville center had received the "all clear" and were back in their offices, said Mark Freedman, the executive director of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Freedman, whose office is in the community center, said these repeated threats are not going to work.

“I think this is just a continuing pattern of what I would call telephone terrorism, attempting to disrupt, create anxiety and fear in our constituents,” Freedman said. “My message back to the people who are doing this who are behind this — you’re not going to succeed. We’re going to be resolute and strong and we will do what we have to do to protect our constituents, but we’re not going to cave into these threats.”

Posner echoed Freedman's remarks.

"We are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats," he said. "While the bombs in question are hoaxes, the calls are not. We know that law enforcement at both the local and national level are continuing to investigate the ongoing situation. We are relieved that no one has been harmed and that JCCs continue to operate in a way that puts the safety of their staff, visitors, and premises first."

Amy Schulman Eskind of Nashville was in the pool at the center when an alarm went off in the building which also houses a preschool center.

"I didn't know what was happening. The lifeguard was giving out towels," Eskind said. "There were preschool kids in the pool, teachers were ushering the kids outside trying to get towels around them. They were little little kids, like 2 and 3 -years-old. It was cold ... people were in their bathing suits running outside."

Eskind was also at the center on Jan. 9 when the building was evacuated due to a bomb threat that was later deemed a hoax.

"I just think this political climate, it's so dangerous. One time it's going to be real," Eskind said. "This needs to come from the top down... It needs to stop."

Reach Natalie Alund at 615-259-8072 and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund. Holly Meyer at hmeyer@tennessean.com or 615-259-8241 and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer.