OUR COMMUNITY

A

s antisemitism in its 
many forms con-
tinues to be on the 
rise around the country and 
world, a pair of hoax bomb 
threats were called into West 
Bloomfield’s Frankel Jewish 
Academy — one on the after-
noon of Tuesday, Nov. 1, 
and one on the morning of 
Wednesday, Nov. 2. 
A few minutes before 3 p.m. 
on Tuesday, FJA received a call 
from an unknown individual 
asking questions about the 
layout of the building and ref-
erencing pipe bombs. Officers 
from the West Bloomfield 
Police Department, including 
K-9 units, were immediate-
ly dispatched to the Jewish 
Community Center on 6600 W
. 
Maple Road, and students and 
faculty were evacuated to Jewish 
Senior Life facilities west of the 
FJA campus. After an exhaus-
tive search of the building and 
campus, both were secured. All 
students and staff were deemed 
to be safe. 
WBPD Deputy Chief Curt 
Lawson says FJA 
apparently wasn’t 
the only place to 
receive similar calls 
that day. 
“It’s our under-
standing — we 
found out after 
everything was 
clear and there was 
no threat — that there were 
other calls to Jewish facilities in 
different parts of the country.”
On Wednesday morning, it’s 

believed the same individ-
ual called in another bomb 
threat to FJA. Students and 
staff were kept in school, on 
the advice of the police, and 
a smaller police presence 
was placed there.
“We do have officers 
on site there now, and our 
detectives are working hard 
at trying to determine who 
this individual is,” Lawson 
said that morning. 

SCHOOL STATEMENT
FJA
’s Head of School Rabbi 
Azaryah Cohen issued a state-
ment to parents 
and students after 
the threat on 
Tuesday. 
“
As you know, 
FJA received a 
threat today. We 
are thankful that 
everyone is safe 
and that our building and cam-
pus have been secured. Our 
school Security and Emergency 
Response Team responded 
quickly and decisively to ensure 
our students and staff were safe 
and cared for throughout the 
incident. 
“Our staff and administrators 
maintained an orderly pres-
ence, and our students acted 
calmly and maturely. In fact, 
their behavior and conduct 
were commended by police and 
security personnel. 
“We have partnerships with 
law enforcement and have 
established security protocols 
to respond to the safety and 

security needs of our commu-
nity. My sincere gratitude goes 
out to the West Bloomfield 
Police Department, Oakland 
County Sheriff’s Office, other 
law enforcement agencies 
from across the state, Jewish 
Community Security Inc., and 
to FJA
’s security team for their 
important work today. 
“Thank you to all of the par-
ents and community partners 
for your support and coopera-
tion throughout the process. As 
we resume normal school activ-
ities tomorrow, our teachers and 
social worker will be checking 
in with students to address any 
concerns.”
JCC CEO Brian Siegel issued 
a similar statement 
via email to the 
community.
“Nothing is more 
important than the 
safety and security 
of our patrons, staff 
and community,” 
the statement read. 
“We appreciate your ongoing 
support, especially during these 
difficult moments.”

OTHERS SPEAK OUT 
Nominee for state 
representative in the 20th 
District, Noah 
Arbit (D-West 
Bloomfield) in the 
Nov. 8 election, 
also issued a 
statement after the 
threat.
“While we 
await further investigation 
before discerning a motive 
for the threat, it would be 
facile not to acknowledge the 
current environment of rising 
antisemitism, hate and political 
violence across our country, 
particularly one week before a 
contentious national election.
“To the students, parents, 
teachers and community 
members at FJA and across 
West Bloomfield, I know 
that today has been deeply 
frightening. As a graduate of 
FJA, I share your distress at 
today’s incident, and stand 
united alongside you in 
declaring that antisemitism, 
hate and violence have no 
home in West Bloomfield.” 

Police investigate two hoaxes.

Frankel Jewish Academy 
Bomb Threats

WBPD 
Deputy 
Chief Curt 
Lawson
Brian 
Siegel 

Rabbi 
Azaryah 
Cohen 

Noah Arbit

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

14 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 

