A man, allegedly enraged over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, was sentenced to over three years in prison on Monday after sending more than 40 letters threatening violence to Jewish museums, organizations, and even a Jewish deli.
Clift Seferlis will serve 37 months in federal prison for sending over 40 threatening letters and two postcards to “more than 25 Jewish institutions and organizations, including synagogues, Jewish museums, community centers, schools, nonprofit organizations, and a Jewish delicatessen, located in multiple jurisdictions. In many of Seferlis’s letters, he threatened acts of violence against Jewish people, saying he would destroy buildings and injure people, according to the Department of Justice.
“This was pure hatred, pure antisemitism,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dubnoff.
In Nov. 2025, Seferlis pleaded guilty to “17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs,” NBC10 Philadelphia reported. The letters were mailed between March 2024 and (at least) June 2025, court documents revealed. Seferlis is from Kensington, Maryland, and appeared to write the letters as a response to the war in Gaza, according to reports.
One recipient of Seferlis’s letters was the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“Between April 2024 and June 2025, Mr. Seferlis sent threatening letters to members of The Weitzman’s staff in an attempt to intimidate a Jewish institution and the people who work there,” read a joint statement released by the museum and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. “Investigators say he also targeted Jewish institutions in Washington, D.C., and other communities through a broader campaign of threats.”
“It is critically important that those who seek to intimidate Jewish institutions are identified and held accountable,” read the statement. “We thank the FBI, the Secure Community Network, and other partners for their coordinated work. Together, we remain committed to ensuring that Jewish institutions nationwide and in Greater Philadelphia continue to be welcoming, vibrant places where people can gather safely and proudly.”
During his sentencing hearing at a Philadelphia courthouse, Seferlis apologized for writing the threatening letters, blaming the actions on his personal outrage over the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. He claimed he was not a violent person and had no intention of following through, but understood his threats had consequences and acknowledged that his letters “dragged innocent people into my darkness.”
“My words are the worst of my venom, and they are awful and inflicted pain,” said Seferlis. “And if there was any way I could take it back, I would.”
“For more than a year, the defendant terrorized Jewish communities across the country, robbing his victims of their peace and security,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The defendant’s sentence should be a warning to all that religious-based terror will not be tolerated in this country.”
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“The threatening communications were intended to intimidate recipients and interfere with congregants and others in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs,” read a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
“Threats directed at religious institutions are attacks not just on those communities but on the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf. “Individuals who attempt to intimidate or terrorize others because of their faith will face the full force of federal law.”
“No one should have to live in fear because of who they are or what they believe,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting every member of our community and holding those who seek to intimidate or harm others fully accountable.”