Unfounded Threats Spread Fear in New Square, Kiryas Yoel

By Matis Glenn

Social media posts discovered this week containing references to weapons with maps of Kiryas Yoel and New Square led to rumors of threats on Jewish communities there, which were determined to be unfounded by law enforcement agencies.

The post, found by members of the New Square organization Ershteh Hilf (first aid), contained an all-capital letter message “Zionists live here.” The information was passed on to the Ramapo Police Department, who began an investigation immediately, together with the Rockland County Sheriff’s Intelligence Center and NYSP/NYS Intel Center. Within 90 minutes, the author of the post was identified.

The poster, a middle-aged man with a history of mental health issues, was interviewed by police, who determined that he posed no threat to the community, police said in a statement released Wednesday. However, the poster was taken voluntarily to a mental health facility for evaluation. Reports of a bomb threat were unfounded, according to police and Ershteh Hilf. The latter organization stressed to Hamodia that this individual never posed a threat to the Jewish community, and that people made false conclusions after hearing about the report, leading to rumors and fear.

Police were set to be stationed outside of a high-profile wedding in New Square Tuesday night; a grandson of the Skverer Rebbe, shlita, married a granddaughter of the Rachamastrivka Rebbe, shlita. Due to the news, police upgraded security at the wedding.

“While there are no criminal charges at this time, the case will continue to be followed up by Ramapo PD, and there will be a referral to the Rockland County Threat Assessment Management Team process,” read the statement released by Ramapo Police. “Ramapo PD has also been in touch with our CSI contact on the matter.”