A bomb threat at Congregation Or Hadash in Sandy Springs interrupted a bar mitzvah service on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 18.
The Sandy Spring Police Department and Fire Department responded to the synagogue, temporarily closing Trowbridge Road.
“The police department requested Cobb County Police Canine detection dogs, and they searched the building, and no threat was detected,” Fire Chief Keith Sanders said.
Or Hadash posted a message on social media, assuring the community that all was well.
The bomb threat at Or Hadash is the latest reported in a series of antisemitic acts in metro Atlanta. A November survey by the Anti-Defamation League shows that 70% of Americans agree Jew-hatred is a serious and growing problem in the U.S.
The last bomb threat against a Jewish organization was on Aug. 17, when a building in Midtown that houses the Breman Museum and Jewish Federation of Georgia was cleared by police. The threat kicked off a search of The Temple, a synagogue on Peachtree Street. No evidence of a bomb was found at either location.
Antisemitic acts have increased since the Israel-Hamas War began in October. An Emory University professor was placed on administrative leave and departed the school after reports of online hate speech. Antisemitic, anti- LGBTQ flyers have been found on private property in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Candler Park, and Brookhaven. Senator Jon Ossoff condemned antisemitic rallies in the spring.
The Brookhaven City Council approved a resolution to ban treating flyers and projected images on Nov. 14. The Georgia Legislature has yet to pass a bill defining antisemitism, although it may be on the docket when session starts in January 2024.