Threatening Letters Mailed to Synagogues Nationwide—Here’s What You Need to Know
Jewish institutions across the country are receiving threatening letters in a coordinated campaign of harassment. According to a joint situational awareness bulletin issued by the Boston Regional Intelligence Center and the Commonwealth Fusion Center, the letters were postmarked on June 16th in Boston and list a return address in Milford, New Jersey.
Each letter contains a generalized threat aimed at the Jewish community. The messages appear to have been printed on single sheets of white paper and mailed in standard envelopes. Authorities are treating most of the threats as non-credible, but that does not mean they should be dismissed. When someone sends a threatening message to a house of worship, it must be treated seriously—for the safety of the congregation and to preserve the possibility of forensic evidence.
What to Do If Your Synagogue Receives a Letter
If your synagogue receives a letter like this, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately. Do not assume others have reported it. These incidents need to be logged, tracked, and investigated. You may also be helping law enforcement connect the dots between separate incidents.
Preserve the evidence:
Minimize handling. Every time someone touches the envelope or paper, valuable evidence may be lost. Fingerprints, DNA, and trace evidence can all be recovered if the letter is preserved properly.
Do not throw it away. Place the envelope and letter in a secure area. If possible, place them in a clean plastic sleeve or folder without touching them directly.
Photograph the materials. Take multiple clear, close-up photos of the envelope (both sides), the return address, postmark, and the letter itself. Do not post the photos online or share them publicly. Provide them to law enforcement only.
Agencies across the country are collecting data on these letters. Your report might contribute to identifying a suspect, especially if matching evidence is found across multiple jurisdictions.
What Christian Churches Should Keep in Mind
While this particular wave targets synagogues, Christian churches should pay attention. Threatening letters have shown up in churches before, and the tactics are often similar. Whether driven by ideology, anti-religious hate, or mental instability, bad actors often test their methods on one group before targeting others.
Churches should take note of how this situation is being handled. If a threatening letter arrives at your church:
Follow the same steps—do not handle it more than necessary, photograph it, store it securely, and notify law enforcement.
Train your front desk and mail staff (or volunteers) on what to do if they encounter suspicious mail.
Build relationships with local police or sheriff’s departments before there’s a problem. That relationship pays off when response time and investigative coordination matter most.
A Coordinated Harassment Campaign
Even when no physical violence occurs, threatening letters are not harmless. They are meant to spread fear, disrupt religious gatherings, and distract security teams. These letters also test the response of law enforcement, media, and the religious community.
This latest campaign is a reminder that religious institutions in America remain targets. Vigilance, not fear, is the appropriate response. Know how to report these incidents, preserve evidence, and maintain strong ties with law enforcement.
Thanks for sharing this information we will make our team aware
This is what the most evil cowards do. The Jews have been under attack for centuries and isn't it sad that even in America they'll be attacked. What so many don't understand or even care about is that the Jewish are first and fore most God's chosen people...from the beginning before they were called Jews. Hate is hate.