Roswell synagogue defies threats with unity at weekly Shabbat service

ROSWELL, Ga. - After a synagogue received an emailed bomb threat on Sunday, the greater Roswell community rallied around them Friday night.  

Hundreds showed up to Temple Kehillat Chaim’s weekly Shabbat service to show their support for them in the face of recent antisemitism. 

Rabbi Jason Holtz of TKC says usually they get a pretty small group at the service near the end of December because of people traveling for the holidays. 

At Friday’s Shabbat service at TKC, hundreds packed the sanctuary. 

"The intent of the bomb threats were to make us feel afraid, to make us not want to come into our building, to make us worry," Holtz said. 

Rabbi Holtz says he saw the email with the bomb threat on Sunday. 

Roswell police responded with their bomb K-9 team but didn’t find any explosives. 

Investigators said that the same threat was emailed to synagogues all over the metro Atlanta area.  

Holtz says even a hoax like that is meant to keep them from gathering. 

"We told everyone, ‘Don’t be afraid, come on out,’" Holtz said. 

After FOX 5 reported his invitation to the community on Sunday, Rabbi Holtz says many people, including interfaith clergy, and city leaders, reached out to him and told him they would be at Friday’s service.

The sanctuary was full.

Roswell police officers were keeping a close watch on the service. 

Pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran church in John’s Creek, Kevin Martin, was one of a few different clergy from other faiths who attended. 

"When someone expresses hate in that way, we want to express love to counteract the hate," Martin said.

He says he encouraged members of his congregation to show up in support as well. 

"To say, ‘We encourage you. We like that you're here, we're glad you're here, and we want to share this community with you,’" Martin said. 

Other attendees included Roswell City Council member Lee Hills and Roswell Police Chief James Conroy. 

Rabbi Holtz says he’s overwhelmed by the show of friendship from so many in the community. 

"We’ve just felt so much love from everybody," he said. 

He said to him, this week has shown two things to be true.

"Antisemitism is real, the hate is real… but that's not the only story… there's really just a lot of love and being Jews in this area, we love our home, we love our city, we love our community. And we're definitely feeling the support and we're feeling the love," Holtz said.