Wisconsin lawmakers visit Jewish Community Center following bomb threats

WHITEFISH BAY – A bipartisan group of Wisconsin lawmakers visited the Jewish Community Center on Monday to show support in the wake of threats targeting the center and others around the country.

Their visit came as another wave of bomb threats targeted Jewish centers and schools in a dozen states Monday.

"Together we must all stand up and speak out against anti-Semitism," Democratic U.S. Sen Tammy Baldwin of Madison said. "When we turn a blind eye to intolerance and discrimination against any community, against any group, we allow the things that fuel hate crimes to go unchecked. We must do more."

The group, which included federal, state and local officials, praised the center for welcoming everyone.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, a Republican from Sheboygan County, called for those responsible to be caught and prosecuted.

"We have to hope and pray that the FBI tracks down these people, and when they track them down, find out where they are from and make sure that this thing never happens again," Grothman said.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, said she would personally contact new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make sure that they "fortify their efforts" in the Civil Rights Division to crack down on hate crimes and "terrorist threats."

"We will not succumb to hate," she said.

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The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Whitefish Bay was evacuated last week after receiving a phoned-in bomb threat, its second in recent weeks. It had previously evacuated on Jan. 31 after a similar threat.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett made a plea for unity — and action — in the wake of the threats targeting JCCs.

"It is time for the leadership of this nation to try to unite people and not to divide them," Barrett said.

On Monday, 20 bomb threats were called into Jewish centers and schools in a dozen states, including Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia, the JCC Association of North America said.

At the Whitefish Bay JCC, lawmakers Monday were greeted with songs sung by the JCC's early childhood education students.

"As I walked in today and saw the faces of all these beautiful children, I'm reminded that the people that are doing the hate crimes — the bullies, the cowards — really are trying to instill fear in us," state Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) said. "We'll stand with the Jewish community."

Julie Siegel, the Whitefish Bay village president, said she was confident people could come together to combat anti-Semitism

"I also happen to be Jewish, and mother of kids who started at this facility when they were 6 months old," she said. "So I feel this. When the first bomb threat was called in, I just was sick to my stomach. And listening to the parents, it never goes away. As a parent of Jewish children out in the world, I worry for them every single day."

Mark Shapiro, the center's president and chief executive officer, said the support from the bipartisan group of elected officials felt "like a hug."

"I think each of us at times in our lives have had that feeling where it feels like something may be against you more than you realize," he said. "And when someone turns and says, 'I got your back, I'm going to say yes.' I think it’s as great a feeling as our community can have."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with the threats.