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The Toronto Police Service’s Hate Crime Unit is investigating the removal of mezuzahs from Jewish seniors’ doorways in a Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) retirement facility in the North York district over the weekend.
Toronto police say the attack targeted a residential building in the Westminster neighborhood. Residents reported the thefts on Sunday, yet the exact time of the incident has yet to be determined.
Mezuzahs are cases containing pieces of parchment inscribed with the “Shema” prayer from the Torah that are traditionally placed on the doorposts of Jewish homes.
York Centre Councillor James Pasternak said someone “tore off” all mezuzahs at 6250 Bathurst Street. “This is an act of hate directed at Jewish residents — seniors who deserve safety, stability, and dignity in their own homes,” he wrote on X. He added that he connected building leadership with Toronto Police’s 32 Division.
Pasternak emphasized there was “no excuse for targeting people because they are Jewish,” and he pledged to keep working with residents, Toronto Seniors Housing, and police “until safety is restored.”
Yesterday, Jewish seniors in North York, a community in Toronto, Canada, woke up to find every mezuzah torn from their hallway.
Imagine being an elderly person opening your door and seeing the symbol that protects your home ripped away.
That fear is real.
That pain is real.
No… pic.twitter.com/vdtGXoIx9g— Sacha Roytman (@SachaRoytman) December 8, 2025
Councillor: Residents ‘Shocked and Disgusted’
In a later statement, Pasternak said the vandalism left him “shocked and disgusted.” He estimated that someone removed between 15 and 20 mezuzahs overnight and said the residents feel violated in their own hallways.
“This hate-motivated crime is a byproduct of the antisemitism and incitement that is going on in our city,” he noted.
In CP24 interview, Pasternak explained that most tenants in the building are older, Russian-speaking Jews. He described a close-knit environment where residents use a small synagogue every day. The attack, he said, left tenants shaken.
“They’ve always lived their lives openly, celebrated their religion, and their history,” he noted. “And so, this is a major shock.”
Pasternak also pointed out how much effort it took to remove the mezuzahs, since residents had fixed them firmly to the doorframes.
Mayor Condemns ‘Vile Act of Antisemitism’
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the vandalism and called it an “outrageous and vile act of antisemitism.”
“This is a public supportive housing building for seniors,” she wrote on X. “They deserve to live in peace without fear of being targeted for being Jewish.”
This is an outrageous and vile act of antisemitism. This is a public supportive housing building for seniors. They deserve to live in peace without fear of being targeted for being Jewish. I will be reaching out to TSCH leadership to investigate this how this could happen.… https://t.co/cUmAOvB6jt
— Mayor Olivia Chow 🇨🇦 (@MayorOliviaChow) December 8, 2025
CIJA: Targeting Seniors ‘Crosses a Moral Line’
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) condemned the crime and explained the emotional and religious meaning of a mezuzah. “A mezuzah isn’t just an object — for us, it’s a reminder of our faith, heritage, and identity,” CIJA said.
It added that the removal of mezuzahs from seniors’ homes reflects a broader pattern of escalating antisemitism. “We’ve seen hateful conduct go from shouting in the streets to targeting Jews outside our homes to now in the hallways of our own buildings,” CIJA said. It went on to urge political leaders to move beyond statements and to take concrete action to protect Jewish residents.
A mezuzah isn’t just an object — for us, it’s a reminder of our faith, heritage, and identity. It is placed on our doorways to provide a sense of comfort and spiritual protection.
And yet the seniors at a building in North York were targeted in a place where they should’ve felt… https://t.co/JqwT40gLWm
— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) December 8, 2025
The Toronto Police Service (TPS) Hate Crime Unit continues to investigate. Anyone with relevant information should contact call the TPS at 416-808-2222 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Join CAM’s #MezuzahChallenge
In response to the incident, the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) calls on supporters everywhere to join the #MezuzahChallenge.
Display a mezuzah at your home or share a photo on social media to stand in solidarity with Jews targeted by hate and show that Jewish identity will not be silenced.
Jewish seniors in North York, Toronto woke up to their mezuzahs torn from their doors.
Let’s answer this outrage with strength and fill our feeds with mezuzahs.
Join the #MezuzahChallenge by CAM and post your mezuzah today! pic.twitter.com/yfDFpA9AxW
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) December 8, 2025
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.
