Chalk artists took to the sidewalks outside the Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Tucson Hebrew Academy during the weekend to scrawl messages of love and support to the Jewish community.
This follows a bomb threat Feb. 27 that forced the JCC into lockdown for nearly two hours as the FBI and the Tucson Police Department investigated an unknown caller's claim about explosives in the parking lot. The Tucson JCC at 3800 E. River Road was among other Jewish facilities in a dozen states that received similar threats that day.
Law enforcement gave the all-clear after about two hours and the JCC reopened for business.
Since then, the center has received calls of support and flowers from several organizations, including a plant from the Tucson Botanical Gardens and roses from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Flowers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and plants from the Tucson Botanical Gardens.
Another group stopped by with signs declaring Catholic and Muslim support for the center.
A group stands outside the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tuesday, Feb. 28 to show their support following a bomb threat the previous day.
"It doesn't matter that we are Muslims," says Umer Shahid, the public affairs director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. "It doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Christian or any religion or don't believe in God. We bleed the same blood ... and we need to stick together."
That's the kind of message of solidarity that Tylar Zinn, the primary organizer of the chalk artists, wanted to demonstrate when a dozen volunteers mostly from the Pantsuit Nation Tucson Chapter, an activist group, gathered Saturday to decorate the sidewalks with messages such as "Tucson stands with the J" and "No hate. Not in our town."
The volunteer artists also chose to chalk the sidewalks outside the Tucson Hebrew Academy to communicate messages of love to the students.
"We are the only Jewish day school here in Tucson, and though we have never had a direct threat to the school, certainly what happened affected our families," says Jon Ben-Asher, the head of school for Tucson Hebrew Academy, 3888 E. River Road. "We did have several families at the J during the lock down, so to feel love from the greater Tucson community is great."
Messages like these brightened pavement outside of both the Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Tucson Hebrew Academy.
About 250 people were using the JCC at the time of the lockdown, said Todd Rockoff, the president and CEO of the JCC.
Lisa Abrams, a commissioner and judge pro tempore for the Pima County Superior Court, was on her way to pick up her 15-year-old son from the JCC, where he was playing basketball, when he texted her about the threat.
Security let her into the building when they learned she had a child inside.
Her son "ran over and said, 'How did you get in?'" she says. "I told him I barreled my way into the front door. If there is a bombing at the JCC, and you're there, I'm not going to let you be alone. I'm going to be with you. And I started to cry, and he's 15 and totally embarrassed by me. ... He was like, 'Cool. What are we having for dinner?'"
She waited with her son and the other JCC users for the all-clear.
"People who were in the pool were walking around in bathing suits, and the Zumba ladies were in neon getup..." she says. "There were little tiny babies waiting for parent pickup and toddlers doing somersaults. And that was what struck me, was that this was such a slice of what Tucson is, ranging from infants to really elderly folks who were there for SilverSneakers ... Despite the ugliness of what was happening outside, inside of the building there was nothing but camaraderie and confidence in law enforcement and the JCC staff..."
Abrams' family has been using the JCC for about 20 years.
"It's incredibly gratifying and meaningful, and it's evidence of the kind of community we have in Tucson, to see that these things that affect one of us affect all of us," Rockoff says.
Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Congresswoman Martha McSally issued statements condemning the threat and other anti-Semitic acts and hate crimes. Rockoff said the source of the call is still unknown and under investigation.
This and other messages greeted JCC users after chalk artists took to the concrete Saturday.
"What happened over the weekend with the chalk drawings was both anonymous and beautiful ...," Rockoff says. "To see that level of support and commitment shows that Tucson is a kind community and that these acts of hatred and intolerance aren't OK."
