Tina MacIntyre-Yee, Victoria E. Freile, and Sarah Taddeo

Democrat and Chronicle

The Jewish Community Center in Brighton was temporarily evacuated after a bomb threat was reported — one of several centers across the country that received phone or email threats overnight and Tuesday morning.

The facility, at 1200 Edgewood Ave., reopened at 10 a.m. The Wolk Children's Center reopened at noon.

An email alert went out to employees and members about 6 a.m. About 75 people were inside the facility when the threat was received, said Arnie Sohinki, executive director of the Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester.

"I am aware that there are other JCC facilities across the country that have received the same or similar-type threats," Brighton Police Chief Mark Henderson said during a morning briefing on the side of Edgewood Avenue. "We will work with the FBI to see if this was a similar type threat."

On Tuesday afternoon, Henderson said the threat was received by an employee in their official email account, and not via a phone call. Henderson said police are working on tracing the origin of the email.

Brighton police officers, Monroe County sheriff's deputies, New York State Police troopers and FBI agents partnered with specially trained dogs to sweep the entire 180,000-square-foot facility Tuesday, Henderson said. The agencies did not find any indication that a bomb was in the facility, he said.

The agencies together are investigating.

"I'm perfectly comfortable to say that this facility is safe," Henderson said during a second briefing later in the morning. "Members should feel comfortable coming here...it's business as usual at the JCC of Rochester," he said.

Henderson said previously established protocols were followed during the incident.

"We've worked with JCC on emergency planning for a number of years," he said. The protocol "went into place immediately. The facility was locked down and an evacuation occurred," Henderson said. Brighton police have increased their presence in the general area of the facility in recent weeks, he said.

Being prepared for this sort of incident is part of day-to-day life now, said Sohinki.

"It's the world we live in today," he said. "That we're prepared makes us better off to serve the community."

Parents of children who attend the daycare associated with the JCC were alerted as well, and told to make alternative childcare arrangements early Tuesday. An email sent to JCC members Tuesday afternoon announced an informational meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday in the JCC's Auditorium C, where law enforcement officials would address member questions and concerns.

The JCC Association of North America says several Jewish community centers received threats overnight and early Tuesday.

Federal officials have been investigating more than 120 threats against Jewish organizations in three dozen states since Jan. 9 and a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.

Threats came in at a JCC facility near Syracuse and at the Anti-Defamation League headquarters in New York City Tuesday, among other locations across the U.S., according to a statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo's office.

“The bomb threats at the Brighton and DeWitt Jewish Community Centers and the Anti-Defamation League headquarters in Manhattan mark the latest pointed assault on the values we hold dear, and we will not allow these types of threats to continue to pervade our society," the statement read.

Brighton Town Supervisor Bill Moehle issued a statement on his Facebook page:

"We stand together with the Jewish community of Brighton and the entire Rochester area as we again confront an expression of hatred in our community. Our community is home to Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other faith communities, and Brighton is and will continue to be a community that welcomes these communities of faith, as well as other people and communities that feel threatened by expressions of hatred and fear of the 'other.'"

Kevin McGowan, Brighton Central School District Superintendent, reached out to families via Facebook.

"Safety continues to be our first priority. We are reviewing all procedures for receiving, processing, and reacting to any threats in our buildings. We have not received such a threat and have no reason to be concerned about the safety of our students, staff, and community members," he said.

FBI spokeswoman Maureen Dempsey said the FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are assisting with the investigation. The agency, she said, continues to investigate possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish Community Centers across the country.

The incident did not impact traffic on Edgewood Avenue, as the road remained open Tuesday morning.

Henderson said the threat was "very serious" and that he hopes law enforcement efforts lead to the person or people responsible to be "held accountable for their actions."

The investigation is ongoing.

Several people were waiting outside the JCC Tuesday morning and were frustrated by news of the bomb threat.

"I was angry," said Wayne Smith of Henrietta, who arrived at the JCC around 6:45 a.m. to set up for an 8:30 a.m. meeting in the center. He went back home for about an hour and returned to the JCC to wait for the facility to reopen.

Smith said he has attended group meetings for retired men at the center for two decades and never heard of anything like this happening, he said.

"With what's happening nationally, I sort of expected it," said Henry Metzger of Henrietta, also a member of the retired men's group, as he waited to enter the building Tuesday morning. Tuesday's meeting wasn't held, since the facility was opened after the meeting usually ends, he said later in the day.

Metzger said he is concerned that the incident may cause JCC membership to decline and that patrons may seek out other fitness and community center options.

"I didn't think it could happen here," said Brooke MacIntyre of Pittsford, a teacher at the facility's children's center. "I was more freaked out by it than I thought I would be."

Several Faecbook users changed their profile photos in recent days to a graphic using the hashtag #IstandwiththeJCC.

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