Raleigh Jewish community responds to Charlotte threats

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A North Carolina man has been charged and arrested by the FBI for threats he made toward the Charlotte Jewish community last week.

Two threats were emailed to the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte.

The nine page indictment lays out the charges against Jeffrey Hobgood of Montgomery County. Last week prosecutors say Hobgood sent an email to the Jewish community saying he wanted to "take every one of you out in a way." The same email uses the word "annihilated."

"No Jewish community in the country is taking any of this lightly, whether it's a threat made in an email or this announcement, everybody is taking things seriously," said Phil Brodsky, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh.

Phil also grew up in Charlotte.

"The worry is out here," he said. "No matter where this happens, it happens to all of us because it's such a close-knit community, that's how small the Jewish people are."

The Charlotte chapter of the federation said the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and FBI responded quickly after the threats and picked up and arrested Hobgood Monday.

"The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte is grateful for law enforcements' quick response and the seriousness with which they take our community safety," said Sue Worrel, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte."

Lucy Dinner is the rabbi at Temple Beth Or in Raleigh. She said the support in the last week from the interfaith community has blown her away and turnout at temple as well has been high.

"What those who are trying to defeat Israel right now are trying to put that fear in us and destroy us so the worst thing we can do is step back and live in a hole," Rabbi Dinner said. "The support reminds us of who we are as citizens of North Carolina and of America and that we're part of a community that in fact embraces these values we're teaching."