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Over the past 19 months, on several occasions, Toronto 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’s 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’s not about Jews, it’s 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’s not. It doesn’t do justice to the deluge of hate-driven incidents targeting Toronto Jews in the recent past. Relatively speaking, it’s but a small sampling of what local Jews have experienced. There’s so much more from where this comes from.

Each incident, by itself, is highly disturbing. Viewed together — and knowing that due to space limitations, what’s listed here excludes far more cases than it includes — you get a better sense of the gravity of the situation and how increasingly Toronto’s Jewish community is under attack. All this without mentioning what’s 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 “Many Jews will die today.”

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: Toronto man arrested after threatening to bomb city’s synagogues and “kill as many Jews as possible”

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 “antisemitic messaging calling for violence”

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: Gunshots fired at Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary Jewish school for third time in seven months

Dec. 20: Kehilat Shaarei Torah synagogue vandalized for 8^th time since Oct. 7, 2023

2025

Jan. 10: Offices of La Briut, a Kosher caterer, robbed, vandalized and spray-painted with antisemitic graffiti. Two days later, similar incident at its nearby restaurant.

‍March 17: TPS announces arrest of Toronto man for antisemitic attacks and threats to local Jewish community including planning terrorism against Jews and supporters of Israel.

March 25: Jewish-owned business, Goldstruck Coffee, vandalized and windows smashed for third time this year, once with antisemitic graffiti.

March 25: Toronto-area man found guilty of assault after attacking Jewish couple and praising Hitler.

April 1: Jewish-owned business, Healthy Moms Market targeted for second time in three months; vandalism included antisemitic stickers plastered on storefront.

April 7: 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’t 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’s little reason to expect better days ahead for Toronto’s Jewish community.

Read in Toronto Star

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