Maryland man arrested for threats to Philadelphia Jewish museum

Seferlis allegedly referenced the museum’s “many big open windows,” “Kristallnacht,” “anger and rage” and a future need to “rebuild” the institution following its destruction.

By Grace Gilson, JTA

The federal government arrested a Maryland man accused of sending threatening letters to the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and other Jewish institutions for over a year.

Clift A. Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, was arrested on June 17 and charged with mailing threatening communications, one of which made reference to “Kristallnacht,” a Nazi pogrom carried out in 1938.

In one letter sent on May 7, which Philadelphia Magazine reported was allegedly sent to the Weitzman museum, Seferlis appeared to threaten the institution and accuse its leaders of not caring about Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza.

“Do you — deep down — reallycare [sic] — really — about what is going on in Gaza? Will it take something happening to your beloved [institution] to make that happen,” it continued, according to a press release by the United States Attorney’s office.

The museum, which was not identified in the press release, had allegedly received the threatening letters since April 2024. Other targets were described as “Jewish organizations and entities located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.”

In other letters, Seferlis allegedly referenced the museum’s “many big open windows,” “Kristallnacht,” “anger and rage” and a future need to “rebuild” the institution following its destruction, according to the press release.

“After 18 months of threatening letters sent to Jewish institutions from NY to DC, the FBI has made an arrest,” wrote The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington in a post on X following the arrest.

The arrest comes as Jewish institutions increased their security across the country following the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., last month and the firebombing attack earlier this month on a march for Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado, that left 15 injured.

Seferlis told FBI agents that he was the individual behind the letters, and that he had previously given tours at the museum and planned to give a tour just days after his arrest, according to Philadelphia Magazine.

According to a Linkedin account that appeared to belong to Seferlis, he had worked as an architectural historian, masonry restoration specialist, and a licensed D.C. and NYC guide since 1992.

Seferlis was released on a $50,000 bond under a litany of stipulations including that he submit to electronic location monitoring, turn in any firearms and agree not to enter any Jewish institution or place of worship.