Bomb Threats Force Evacuations of Long Branch Shuls

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long-branch-police[Update below.] 9:56 p.m. Police have evacuated residents from a section of Long Branch after several bomb threats were made against local shuls, authorities are saying. According to Long Branch Police Department Lt. Robert Weiner, the threats were made against shuls in the Park Avenue area in the past hour. Details about the nature of threats or why those specific shuls were targeted were not immediately available. Congregation Ohel Simha, which is located at 295 Park Avenue in Elberon and is under the leadership of Rabbi Shmuel Choueka, and Congregation Brothers of Israel, which is located at 250 Park Avenue in Long Branch and is under the leadership of Rabbi Nesanayl Braun, have been evacuated, according to police. A wedding was being held at Ohel Simha at the time authorities called for the evacuation, according to police.

Rabbi Shmuel Choueka, rov of Ohel Simha
Rabbi Shmuel Choueka, rov of Ohel Simha

Weiner said no injuries had been reported as of 9 p.m., and that police in the borough of Deal were in charge of the investigation. Deal Police were not immediately available for comment.

Update, 10:31 p.m.: Two of the guests at the wedding held tonight at Ohel Simha were brothers Joshua and Jack Verstandig of Brooklyn, who told the Asbury Park Press that the 300 guests calmly evacuated the shuls when the police arrived to ask occupants to leave the building. The evacuation took place between 8:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The Sifrei Torah were removed from the shuls as well.

Albert Kamagi, who lives across the street at 76 Norwood Avenue, between Park Avenue and Hillcrest Road, invited the wedding guests to his house to continue the wedding in his backyard.

The Long Branch police, the State Police Bomb Squad, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Mobile Command Unit were at the scene.

{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


11 COMMENTS

  1. WHAT A KIDDUSH HASHEM! THAT SOMEONE ALLOWED THE WEDDING TO CONTINUE IN HIS BACKYARD. MI KE’AMCHA YISROEL. THAT IS THE NEWS THAT SHOULD BE HEADLINED.

  2. One of the curses in the Torah against Jews when they don’t listen to the Torah, is that Jews will run for their lives and no one will be chasing them.

    Jews will be in a constant state of fear — even when there is no actual danger.

  3. On the other hand, there are indeed times when fear is warranted. I don’t know enough about this one in particular. However, one of the reasons that Chazal say for the Churban is that they were not afraid when they should have been, I seem to remember. The better thing would be maybe to remember the Source of fear rather than the immediate presentation of it. This does not necessarily preclude continuing with a dvar mitzvah, especially a chasunah perhaps. I’m just trying to mention the other part of the cheshbon which has to be made.

  4. Todah LoK-L, I heard that the simcha continued at a neighbor’s back yard and was really beautful, indeed because of the incident.
    [media]

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