Police swarmed Temple Beth El in Hollywood on Tuesday after a hoax call reported people hiding inside the synagogue, triggering panic just one day before Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Police radio captures frightening moments
“We got a report that the people in the church are in a storage room, hiding in a storage room,” a police dispatcher said over the radio as officers rushed to the scene.
Inside, teachers and preschool students sheltered in place while the reported threat drew an enormous law enforcement response.
“We’re going to be coming out with children from the school. We’re evacuating them now,” another voice was heard on the radio.
Adults began pushing cribs out of the school while staff carried children into the arms of waiting police. After a full search, officers confirmed nothing dangerous was found.
“Clear all the schools that have been placed on lockdown. Have them resume a normal day,” came the final radio update.
Swatting incident confirmed
Authorities determined the call was part of a swatting incident—a false report designed to provoke an emergency response.
The Hollywood scare was one of two such hoaxes targeting Jewish communities in Florida that day, with the other reported in Venice, south of Sarasota.
Parents react to scare
Amy Rosenthal, who was picking up a child at the synagogue, said the timing of the hoax was unsettling.
“I thought it was Jewish-related because it’s a Jewish holiday,” Rosenthal said. She read from an email she received from the school that emphasized the threat was not tied to the holiday.
“First and foremost, please be advised this was not related in any way to us being a Jewish organization. The lockdown was triggered by a computer-generated threat,” she read.
She said the email also noted threats were made at a local plaza in Orlando and on Florida’s west coast.
“I think the world is crazy and I think it’s very sad that this is the state of our world,” Rosenthal said.
ADL monitoring statewide threats
The Anti-Defamation League confirmed it is closely tracking the incidents.
“We are continuing to monitor apparent swatting incidents at multiple Jewish institutions in the state. ADL Florida and our Center on Extremism are in close communication with other Jewish community organizations and law enforcement related to the reported threats,” said Daniel Frank, regional director of ADL Florida.
“We urge any synagogue or Jewish institution affected to immediately alert their local law enforcement agencies.”
