Over the weekend, two Toronto synagogues were attacked by gunfire. Several days earlier, another synagogue was hit by around twenty gunshots on the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Though the three attacks caused no injuries, many in the Jewish community are demanding concrete action from Prime Minister Mark Carney — not just words of comfort that have typically followed such antisemitic incidents.
Carney took to X saying that the "antisemitic and criminal attacks violate the right of Canadian Jewish men and women to live and pray in complete safety" and "represent a serious assault on the way of life of all Canadians."
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In the aftermath of the first synagogue attack, Israel's National Security Council warned Israelis overseas to "maintain vigilance and adhere to safety precautions." Among their suggestions were for Israelis to "conceal Jewish and Israeli identifiers while in public spaces," to be aware of surroundings "in areas associated with Israel or Judaism," and to "avoid visiting sites identified as Jewish or Israeli."
On X, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that "all eyes are on Canada: it’s time to halt the unprecedented wave of Jew-hatred that has erupted since October 7th."
Like many Western countries, Canada has seen a marked rise in annual antisemitic incidents since the Hamas terror attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The League for Human Rights B’nai Brith Canada found that there were 6,219 incidents of antisemitism in Canada in 2024. This constituted an average of 17 incidents per day, more than double the eight incidents per day calculated in 2022.
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While figures for 2025 have yet to be released, Public Safety Canada noted that from April to June 2025, "Among hate crimes targeting religion… the majority were directed at the Jewish community (69%)."
Conservative MP Roman Baber, said the behavior of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other liberal Canadian politicians have been "adding fuel to the fire of Jew hatred in Canada."
Baber aimed further criticism at Carney, saying, "When the Prime Minister on the campaign trail says he knows there is genocide in Gaza, he engages in Jew hatred."
Baber was referring to an event in April 2025 during which a heckler yelled over a bustling crowd that "there is a genocide happening in Gaza." Carney responded, "I’m aware, that’s why we have an arms embargo."
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Carney later said that he did not hear the heckler use the term "genocide."
Baber noted that "when the Prime Minister recognized the Palestinian state, he rewarded the brutality of Hamas, and he did so on the eve of Rosh Hashanah."
In his announcement, released the day prior to the Jewish holiday, Carney claimed that recognizing "the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas," and "in no way legitimizes terrorism, nor is it any reward for it." He also claimed recognition "in no way compromises Canada’s steadfast support for the State of Israel, its people, and their security."
Watchdog organization StopAntisemitism told Fox News Digital that "every day we are seeing painful reminders that antisemitism remains a real and dangerous threat. Acts of violence meant to intimidate or silence our community will not succeed. Loud and proud Jews will not allow hatred or fear to deter our Jewish way of life or our presence in the world. Not in Canada, in the United States, in Europe, and certainly not in Israel."
StopAntisemitism called for the perpetrators to "be punished to the fullest extent of the law so that justice is served and deterrence is clear."
