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Two antisemitic incidents at Jewish sites in the Toronto area over the weekend have heightened concern within the local Jewish community, as attacks continue to escalate.
On Saturday morning, during Shabbat services, a man attempted to force his way into the Sephardic Kehilah Centre in Vaughan. Security turned him away due to suspicious behavior. Moments later, he approached a father and son walking to the synagogue and punched the father in the face. The victim did not suffer serious injuries.
The following day, a rock shattered the window of a Judaica store along the heavily-Jewish Bathurst Street corridor. Toronto Police confirmed that a business near Bathurst Street and Regina Avenue was targeted. The Hate Crime Unit is aware of the incident. No suspects have been identified in either case.
Both attacks took place in broad daylight, around 9:30 a.m. This marked a shift from previous antisemitic incidents that typically occurred at night. The timing points to growing boldness in attacks targeting Jewish institutions and individuals.
These incidents follow a series of more severe attacks in recent months. In March, three synagogues across the Toronto area came under gunfire. A restaurant owned by a Jewish pro-Israel advocate was targeted in two separate shootings. In 2024, a Jewish elementary school for girls was hit by gunfire on three occasions.
These incidents make clear that antisemitic attacks in the Toronto area are escalating in frequency, visibility, and boldness, with Jewish institutions and individuals increasingly targeted in plain sight.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
