Unanswered Questions about the Terror Threat on Three Los Angeles Synagogues

כ״ה לחודש השלישי תשע״ז

Jewish Journal: Bomb threats shut down three L.A. synagogue locations on Shabbat
Eitan Arom | Jun 10, 2017 | Los Angeles

Three Los Angeles synagogue campuses were shut down following a series of online bomb threats, disrupting normally scheduled Shabbat activities on June 10.

The Glazer and Irmas campuses of Wilshire Boulevard Temple as well as University Synagogue in Brentwood were closed shortly after 8 a.m., according to Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officer Mike Lopez. By about 12:45 p.m., LAPD cleared all locations to reopen.

“K9 units responded to the locations to make sure to render all locations safe,” Lopez said. “At this time we have no credible threats.”

Rabbi Morley T. Feinstein of University Synagogue said a staff member “found an email that was beyond nasty — horrific language, and threatening” in a temple email account and its executive director, Lisabeth Lobenthal, called the police. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

Wilshire Blvd. Temple
Glazer Campus

I don't really want to be the one,...but I'm going to be the one who asks this first question.

1. Did anyone else notice that none of these threatened "Jewish" institutions were Torah observant? Rather, they are Reform institutions.

2. Would they have not known of the threat if no one had checked synagogue email accounts on Shabboth aside? (Something which is forbidden by the way -- A-hem!)

3. Does this mean that the one threatening these synagogues knew that they were not Torah observant, and so would check email on Shabboth?

Wilshire Blvd. Temple
Irmas Campus

4. If this were a Muslim terror threat, wouldn't the Muslim go after Jewish communities more ideologically aligned with policies of the current Israeli Government? Or perhaps the Muslim didn't do his homework?

5. The irony here is that if a Muslim, or anyone, wanted to kill as many Jews as possible (God forbid!), then these communities were very poor choices, indeed. Because of the sham "conversions," and rampant intermarriage, just exactly how many members of these communities are actually Jewish?

6. Or, perhaps, the Muslim did do his homework, knew that email would be checked on Shabboth, and while many members were on site, and that it is the members of these communities who wield the real power?

University Synagogue
Brentwood

7. If this were a Muslim terror threat, wouldn't this serve to support the notion -- that everyone in Israel except the Left knows -- Muslim terrorists do not like leftist Jews anymore than they like those demonized as "right-wing extremists/religious fanatics?"

In fact, I have on occasion have an Arab tell me that they know that the "extremists" about the Land and their ideology. (Yes, I have actually met and worked with Arabs in my life, unlike most limousine liberals.)

But, I digress...

How much do you wanna bet that this was perpetrated but a nut, a disgruntled, former member?

False flag threat to gain sympathy? Nah. At least I hope that the Reform leaders would be a lot more creative if they were to have planned such an event.

And to those of you Jews who are legitimately on a spiritual search, and maybe have had it with the so-called "Orthodox," here are some suggestions.

If any rabbi cannot answer your questions, is afraid to say he doesn't know, but he can check for you, move on to the next candidate.

If he tells you because the Torah says so, ask him to explain to you how that is and where he derives this from. If cannot answer, unwilling to take the time to check, or worse, move on.

But, when you find someone with whom you can relate, even if he provides you with answers which you not necessarily like (eg. why you can't eat authentic pepperoni pizza or why you can't drive to the beach on Shabboth), be open-minded (you know, like the left is always claiming they are), and keep listening. Don't worry, you can keep shopping around.

But, just remember, we are here on this earth not to do what "feels" good or right; we are here on this earth to do what IS good or right,...which does not always feel good.