Hoax bomb threats prompted the evacuation of the Jewish Community Center in La Jolla and at centers across the nation Tuesday.

San Diego police searched the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center on Executive Drive but found nothing suspicious.

It was a third wave of threats this month to Jewish Community Centers around the United States, and included one in Canada, according to an official with the JCC Association of North America.


David Posner, an association director who advises centers on security, said in an emailed statement most of the centers had received the all-clear from law enforcement officials and had resumed regular operations, though security was heightened.

The bomb threat was phoned in to the La Jolla center shortly before 9 a.m., Executive Director Michael Cohen said.

He said staff immediately followed their security protocols by evacuating employees and pre-schoolers. They were ushered to La Jolla Country Day School while San Diego police searched the center’s buildings and parking lot.

All programs at the center were temporarily suspended and a notice was sent to the pre-schoolers’ parents that the children were safe but could be picked up early at La Jolla Country Day.


The center re-opened about 10:45 a.m.

Cohen said the Lawrence Family center was not targeted with threats previously this month.

An FBI spokeswoman in San Diego said the agency is aware of the threats.

Bomb threats were made against 14 Jewish community centers in 10 states and in Ontario, Canada on Tuesday, according to the JCC Association of North America.


Previously, similar threats were made by what the FBI termed a “robocall” system to 16 Jewish centers in nine states on Jan. 9.

A second, larger round of threats were made against 27 Jewish centers in 17 states on Jan. 18.

“We are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats,” Posner said in his statement.

He said the previous threats phoned in this month were deemed to be hoaxes and that no one has been injured. Posner added that the FBI is actively investigating the calls.