Over the past 19 months, on several occasions, 海角社区官网Police Service has published figures showing an alarming surge in antisemitic hate crimes in our city. Just this month, the TPS released data showing a historic high in reported hate crime incidents in 2024, with Jews the most targeted.
While the Jewish community represents less than 4 per cent of Toronto鈥檚 population, anti-Jewish hate crimes accounted for 40 per cent of all reported incidents.
Remarkably, even in the face of incontrovertible, well-documented facts, some people seek to diminish or rationalize this sobering situation. They insist it鈥檚 not about Jews, it鈥檚 about Israel. But the reality on the ground tells a very different story, as Jewish individuals and institutions continue to face an onslaught of hate, as documented by the recent police statistics.
At first glance, the list below may seem comprehensive. Shockingly, it鈥檚 not. It doesn鈥檛 do justice to the deluge of hate-driven incidents targeting 海角社区官网Jews in the recent past. Relatively speaking, it鈥檚 but a small sampling of what local Jews have experienced. There鈥檚 so much more from where this comes from.
Each incident, by itself, is highly disturbing. Viewed together 鈥 and knowing that due to space limitations, what鈥檚 listed here excludes far more cases than it includes 鈥 you get a better sense of the gravity of the situation and how increasingly Toronto鈥檚 Jewish community is under attack. All this without mentioning what鈥檚 happening elsewhere in Canada and on social media. Little surprise Jews are feeling extremely uneasy as the country now marks Canadian Jewish Heritage Month.
2023
Oct. 12: Three men arrested after threatening students at Jewish high school, TanenbaumCHAT
Nov. 3: Jewish woman assaulted while hanging posters for release of Hamas-held hostages
Nov. 17: TanenbaumCHAT and daycare inside evacuated after bomb threat warned 鈥淢any Jews will die today.鈥
2024
Jan. 1: Jewish-owned food business targeted in arson attack, windows smashed and defaced with anti-Israel graffiti
Jan. 9: Charges laid in assault in Vaughan after man spat at four Jewish individuals and made antisemitic comments
March 5: 海角社区官网man arrested after threatening to bomb city鈥檚 synagogues and 鈥渒ill as many Jews as possible鈥
April 9: Multiple posters calling for release of Israeli hostages defaced with swastikas in Cedarville Park, including on face of (murdered) 9-month-old Kfir Bibas.
June 9: At annual Walk with Israel, police arrest person for 鈥渁ntisemitic messaging calling for violence鈥
June 30: Pride of Israel synagogue attacked, rocks thrown through stained-glass windows and glass doors
July 31: Signs outside two synagogues (Kehilat Shaarei Torah and Temple Sinai) set on fire overnight
Aug. 21: More than 100 local Jewish institutions receive bomb threats
Dec. 19:聽Gunshots fired at Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary Jewish school for third time in seven months
Dec. 20:聽Kehilat Shaarei Torah synagogue vandalized for 8th time since Oct. 7, 2023
2025
Jan. 10:聽Offices of La Briut, a Kosher caterer, robbed, vandalized and spray-painted with antisemitic graffiti. Two days later, similar incident at its nearby restaurant.
鈥峂arch 17:聽TPS announces arrest of 海角社区官网man for antisemitic attacks and threats to local Jewish community including planning terrorism against Jews and supporters of Israel.聽
March 25:聽Jewish-owned business, Goldstruck Coffee, vandalized and windows smashed for third time this year, once with antisemitic graffiti.
March 25:聽Toronto-area man found guilty of assault after attacking Jewish couple and praising Hitler.
April 1:聽Jewish-owned business, Healthy Moms Market targeted for second time in three months; vandalism included antisemitic stickers plastered on storefront.
April 7:聽Temple Sinai Synagogue adopts heightened security measures, including active shooter drills, due to upsurge in attacks on Jewish institutions.
Need I say more? Sadly, too many people aren鈥檛 saying more.
Until more non-Jews, especially our public representatives at all levels of government, recognize the toxic surge in antisemitism and take firm action against it, there鈥檚 little reason to expect better days ahead for Toronto鈥檚 Jewish community.
