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Mezuzahs on Jewish students’ residence doors at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, were smashed and torn down over Rosh Hashanah.
Hillel Ontario and StandWithUs Canada issued a joint statement on Monday condemning the vandalism as antisemitic hatred aimed at students “in the place they call home on campus,” adding that “this cannot be the welcome Jewish students receive when they come to university.”
The groups said the timing compounded the offense, since students who should have marked “the beginning of a new year with pride, renewal, and hope” instead were “targeted by despicable hate.”
Hillel Ontario has since contacted campus leadership, the statement said, insisting there could be no tolerance for antisemitism at the school.
The university confirmed “an incident of vandalism that involved widespread damage along various residence hallways” and said its Special Constable Service was leading an investigation. It added that affected students had connected with residence staff and support was available.
Jay Solomon, CEO of Hillel Ontario, told The Jerusalem Post, “We condemn this act of antisemitism in the strongest possible terms. It is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of escalating hostility toward Jewish students that we have seen across campuses in Ontario and Canada.”
The incident, he said, followed “similar violations on other campuses since October 7.”
“This cannot continue,” Solomon said. “All institutions of higher learning have an obligation to keep Jews safe, and we urge all schools to enforce their policies and hold perpetrators to account swiftly and transparently.”
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Read more:
Mezuzahs Ripped From Toronto Seniors’ Residence in Second Antisemitic Attack This Month
