Yeshiva handles bomb threat with sensitivity

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s bomb threat to Mesivta Ateres Yakov by a student suspended for a disciplinary infraction there, the Menahel (principal) Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe issued a letter to parents commending the behavior of the student body.

“I have to admit that after more than 30 years in chinuch, (education) I sort of thought I had seen it all,” he wrote. “I am speaking about the sensitive, insightful boys who understood that informing us about potential danger is not to be confused with “ratting someone out;” that there are times that one must go beyond tremendous discomfort and violate teenage social norms in order to ensure the safety of all.”

He continued to commend the students for evacuating the building in an “orderly manner,” for continuing to learn while displaced to Beth Shalom, for thanking the police as they passed them when returning to the yeshiva building and thanking Rabbi Yaffe for the “free pizza lunch that day.” He noted that the students, for the most part, continued with their school day and showed concern for the troubled 16-year-old student associated with the disturbance. “I speak of the true empathy so many of our children demonstrated towards a chaver who clearly was in need of it, constantly asking about him and wanting to know when it would be appropriate to contact him.”

Rabbi Yaffe noted that the police assured him that the school handled the situation appropriately, evacuating the building, contacting the police and the family of the boy, meeting with the student body, maintaining a normal schedule and making the staff available to discuss any issues necessary with the students. Rabbi Yaffe attended a Security Seminar held by Nassau County Law Enforcement and analyzed further safety and security possibilities to implement.

The suspended student, who had apparently violated the school requirement to put away his cell phone during school hours, was arrested and arraigned and released on $50,000 bail. A threatening message allegedly posted by the student on a social network site included the words “explosives,” “blowing up” and “see you later in life” aimed at the Mesivta. Others noticed the posting and reported it to the school’s administration. In view of other similar threats in other locations unrelated to this, the school did not want to risk the well-being of the student body and staff and called the police. The building at 131 Washington Avenue was evacuated and the 200 inhabitants of the building walked to Congregation Beth Shalom where morning classes continued. The Mesivta was searched by the Nassau County police K-9 unit and was declared safe to reenter by 11:40 AM. The yeshiva is not pressing charges, but the case is now in the hands of State authorities.

The threat, said Police Inspector Kenneth Lack, was “credible enough for him to be arrested” but they don’t think he had the means. He is “not charged with having a device. He is going through the court system. There is no reason to believe that this was anything other than a threat.”

“He is due in court on May 9th for a conference,” said Chris Munzing of the District Attorney’s office.

“As educators we need to learn from every situation we encounter, and from this, there is much to learn,” noted Rabbi Yossie Bennett, the Mesivta’s assistant principal in an email. “Rabbi Yaffe held an assembly with the entire yeshiva addressing the day’s events, but instead of focusing on the details, he guided the talmidim in reflection on the incident. Students were advised and encouraged to speak with a rebbe or teacher if they felt the need and that it was normal to feel emotional, strained or concerned in the aftermath of an event of this sort. Some of the lessons gleaned and related to the students were:

•The tremendous power of the spoken or written word.

•The unlimited potential of one individual and its effect on others.

•The importance of coming forward even when it may be difficult.

•The fact that not everything reported by the media is true.

•The value of life.

Mesivta Ateres Yaakov expresses their deepest thanks and gratitude to the Nassau County Police Department for their swift and thorough assistance in this matter and to Congregation Beth Shalom for their hospitality.”

“We continue to daven for the positive outcome for a family close to the heart of the Yeshiva,” stated Rabbi Yaffe in the letter to parents. “However, in the final analysis, it was our children who shined in this nisayon (test) and I learned that despite all the time we spend together, day in and day out, they can still continue to surprise me and bring my pride in them to new heights. May we be zocheh (merit) only to experience nachas (satisfaction, pride) from them in an environment of shalom (peace) and safety.”