On Sunday, December 17, 2023, at approximately 9:43am, Har Sinai Temple in Hopewell Township, received an email stating that there were “multiple explosives” hidden throughout the building which would detonate within a few hours. The email was received by the spiritual leader while the building was occupied by, what MercerMe has been informed were religious school students.
The Hopewell Township Police Department was notified shortly thereafter and units were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, HTPD officers assisted the staff with evacuating the building occupants. With the help of the Pennington Police Department, Pennington Fire Department, and Squad 154, all occupants were transported to an off-site reunification point and reunited with family members.
It was quickly determined that the email was distributed to multiple Jewish religious institutions in New Jersey and throughout the Country. There was no nexus found in this specific house of worship. HTPD requested assistance from other Mercer County agencies, out of an abundance of caution, in the form of explosive detection K9 units. The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office provided a K9 unit that responded and cleared the building and the surrounding area.
Upon clearing the building, the investigation continued and it was determined that the email was sent from an unknown source who had distributed the email to numerous houses of worship in New Jersey. It does not appear, at this time that the threat was credible nor does it appear that there is any specific connection to the house of worship in Hopewell.
Officer Paul Alvaro #64 and Detective Michael Makwinski # 58 are continuing the investigating for Hopewell Township. Multiple federal, state and county agencies are involved in the investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Makwinski at 609-737-3100 ext. 5790.
This information was provided by the Hopewell Township Police Department and reputable confirmed sources.
