Unanimous Senate calls on Trump to act on threats to Jewish centers

US President Donald Trump has addressed the rising threat in recent days, last week opening his first address to a joint session of Congress with a broad condemnation.

By MICHAEL WILNER
Updated: MARCH 9, 2017 15:23
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio (photo credit: REUTERS)
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio
(photo credit: REUTERS)
WASHINGTON – Every single member of the US Senate on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to “swiftly act” against individuals threatening Jewish institutions nationwide, amid a spike in vandalism, attacks and bomb threats against Jewish organizations and community centers.
The letter to Trump’s cabinet members was drafted by Senators Gary Peters (D-Michigan), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Bill Nelson (D-Florida) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and garnered unusually broad support. “We write to underscore the need for swift action with regard to the deeply troubling series of anonymous bomb threats,” the letter read. “These cowardly acts aim to create an atmosphere of fear and disrupt the important programs and services offered by JCCs [Jewish Community Centers] to everyone in the communities they serve, including in our states.”
Bomb threats have been called in to Jewish organizations in 33 states since the beginning of the year, alongside an unprecedented increase in Nazi-themed vandalism in New York State, several incidents of Jewish cemetery desecrations and a spike in antisemitic rhetoric measured on social media by the Anti-Defamation League.
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The ADL and the Jewish Federations of North America both thanked the Senate for drafting the letter, addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director James Comey.