So far this year, the Levite Jewish Community Center (LJCC) in Birmingham has received four bomb threats. One of those came on January 27th, just after 8:00 a.m. News reports said a caller told the LJCC staff that there was a bomb in their building. Children were immediately evacuated and shortly thereafter the Birmingham Police cleared the premises.
As the center’s executive director, Betzy Lynch, told ABC 33/40: “For most of the children now we do so many drills on so many sets of circumstances and in so many different ways they many times assume that it’s a drill rather than a live event.”
Because these nefarious threats are part of a nationwide trend against Jewish organizations, few will be surprised if they continue. That’s why these drills and other steps are being taken by the LJCC to protect the employees and the families they serve. Nevertheless, more stringent security measures are needed, and we were heartened to learn that neighboring organizations have pledged to help.
Specifically, a group of Alabama ministries are raising $100,000 for that cause. At the very least, the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, The Center for Executive Leadership, Young Business Leaders, Lifework Leadership, JH Ranch, Alliance Ministries, and the National Christian Foundation of Alabama are all part of this effort.
Scott Dawson of the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association said his team is eagerly contributing to the LJCC’s security fund for three reasons:
First, Jesus taught us to love our neighbor, and the people at the Levite Jewish Community Center are certainly our neighbors. Next, for some time now the Christian community has been in the spotlight for what we stand against, often overshadowing the things we stand for. One of those is religious liberty for people of all faiths. Thankfully, the First Amendment protects everyone’s right to pursue our faith according to our own convictions and live peaceably as we do so, and we think that’s worth standing for. Finally, these bomb threats disrupt a child care facility. Children are living in fear—right here in Birmingham, Alabama…in the United States. Jesus teaches us that as we do it unto the least of these, we do it unto Him, and we must do our part to help protect these innocent children.
If you’d like to make a contribution to this effort, please see the following note from Scott Dawson:
The National Christian Foundation of Alabama can receive tax deductible donations designated for “JCC-SECURITY”. Since the IRS requires tax receipts for all donations of $250 or more, they will mail such receipts (for donations less than $250, the canceled check is sufficient). Checks can be made payable to NCF/Alabama and mailed to 400 Office Park Drive; Birmingham, AL 35223, or you can use the link below to make a credit card donation. They will send 100% of the donations to the JCC with no administrative fees. Please click here to donate online.
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