Tucson shows support for Jewish Community Center with chalk, flowers

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 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.

Another group stopped by with signs declaring Catholic and Muslim support for the center.

“It doesn’t matter that we are Muslims,” said 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.”

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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,” said Jon Ben-Asher, the head of school for Tucson Hebrew Academy. “We did have several families at the J during the lockdown, so to feel love from the greater Tucson community is great.”

About 250 people were using the JCC at the time of the lockdown, said Todd Rockoff, the president and CEO of the JCC.

“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 said.

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.

“What happened over the weekend with the chalk drawings was both anonymous and beautiful ...,” Rockoff said. “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.”