FBI warns of 'broad threat' to synagogues in New Jersey amid growing antisemitism in US

• The FBI sent a news alert on Thursday about a "broad threat" against New Jersey synagogues.
• The agency released few details and said it was "taking a proactive measure" in response.

The FBI's Newark division released an alert on Thursday about a "broad threat" against synagogues — Jewish houses of worship — in New Jersey.

"The FBI has received credible information of a broad threat to synagogues in NJ," the FBI wrote on Twitter. "We ask at this time that you take all security precautions to protect your community and facility. We will share more information as soon as we can. Stay alert. In case of emergency call police."

—FBI Newark (@FBINewark) November 3, 2022

The threat against synagogues comes amid rising antisemitism in the US.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, which combats discrimination against Jewish groups, the organization found 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism in 2021. That's a 34% increase in incidents from 2020, according to the ADL.

More recently, there has been renewed attention to antisemitism after celebrities such as rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving promoted conspiracy theories and tropes about Jewish people.

"I am deeply concerned and outraged by today's alert from the FBI," Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat representing New Jersey, said in a statement on Thursday. "This is what happens after years of antisemitic comments from public figures, including, most recently, Kanye West, Kyrie Irving, and others."

Daniel Cohen, a rabbi at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, New Jersey, said there have been no further updates for his community and that local law enforcement have helped to secure synagogues in the area.

The incident came as no surprise to Cohen, noting another ADL report that found antisemitism has surged since 2016.

"I wish this were a surprise. It's not a surprise in light of the current environment," he told Insider. "We have known this would be a possibility to address this stuff."

Cohen said he hasn't personally experienced growing antagonism against Jewish people within his own community. There are three established synagogues and other offshoot synagogues in his town alone.

But he was cognizant of the recent trend in antisemitic comments from public figures such as Ye and Irving and warned how hateful statements will continue to spread if it's not immediately condemned.

"Let's be clear, hate against the Jewish community doesn't stop at the Jewish community," Cohen said, while noting hate against other groups such as the LGBTQ community. "Hate metastasizes rapidly and we are seeing that in real time. It's about time that people took it seriously."

November 3, 2022: This story has been updated with an interview from Cohen.