Third Jewish institution in Canada targeted in a week

Article content

A synagogue in central Vancouver is the latest Jewish institution to be attacked in Canada.

An incendiary device was thrown at the front doors of Schara Tzedeck synagogue on Thursday evening, according to the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.

No one was injured in the attack and the damage to the building was minor in nature.

It is the third Jewish institution to be targeted in the last week. Gunshots were fired at a synagogue in Montreal overnight Wednesday and at a Jewish girls school in suburban Toronto on Saturday.

Article content

The antisemitic attacks have drawn condemnation from political and Jewish leaders across Canada.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver called the latest incident a “deliberate act of hate” and an “attempt to intimidate our Jewish community.”

“Antisemitic rhetoric has reached a feverish pitch in our city and region recently, and it has always been our concern that the next step would be violence,” it said in a statement. “But we refuse to be intimidated or to hide. Our community is resilient, and we are proud to be an important part of the multicultural fabric of our city, our province and our country.”

The building was reopened Thursday following an inspection by the Vancouver police and fire departments, though the incident remains under investigation.

In a post on X, Rabbi Elchanan Poupko, whose parents were married in the synagogue, said the temple was “home for many Holocaust survivors seeking a safe haven in Canada.”

“When my family arrived as refugees in Canada, Schara Tzedeck synagogue in Vancouver was their first spiritual home. Now it has bombs being thrown at it,” Rabbi Elchanan Poupko posted on Friday. 

Article content

Article content

Article content

Meanwhile, Vancouver Police will increase patrols around local Jewish institutions.

Michal Cotler-Wunsh, an Israeli politician and diplomat, referred to the attacks in Canada as “the normalization of hate” on X.

“A result of unchecked lethal antisemitism – on campuses, on social media, in the streets – & leadership that not ONLY tolerates the intolerable, but fuels it,” she wrote.

Article content

Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the rise in antisemitic violence late Wednesday.

“Disgusted that another Jewish school has been the target of a shooting. Relieved that no one was hurt, but I’m thinking of the parents and community members in Montreal who must be incredibly shaken. This is antisemitism, plain and simple — and we will not let it win,” said Trudeau.

“The second shooting at a Jewish school in a week. We are witnessing a terrifying escalation of antisemitism in this country. The Trudeau government must step up and finally do something to protect Jewish people in Canada against this violence,” said Poilievre.

A rise in antisemitic violence and bullying has been reported across Canada since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, including a number of attacks on synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.

Article content