US Rep. Carlos Curbelo meets with local Jewish community leaders in wake of threats

Nearly 70 threats reported at JCCs across US

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. ā€“ With threats against Jewish community centers at an all-time high, leaders of the Jewish community in south FloridaĀ are asking for help.

Nearly 70 threats against JCCs have been reported across the country this year.

"For us, the bomb threats are really a multi-pronged issue," said Steve Tepper, executive director of the Dave and Mary Alper JCC.

Representatives from the JCC in Kendall met Wednesday morning withĀ U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., hoping to voice their concerns and find a solution for the growing problem.

"The last bomb threat we had, we had 1,000 people on our campus. Seven hundred of them were under the age of 12," Tepper said.

The threats have been hoaxes, but they have still instilled a tremendous amount of fear not only among the Jewish community, but also for non-Jewish members, leaders said.

CurbeloĀ said he is planning to take the concerns to Washington, where he plans to work on legislation that could put a stop to the threats.

"Can we increase penalties against people who engage in this type of conduct? But step 1 is to listen and speak out, and really try to build a culture of acceptance and respect for every member of our society," Curbelo said.