Antisemitism Anxiety at Synagogues After Week of Attacks on Jewish Institutions

A man walks past as a Vancouver Police Department patrol car sits in front of the Schara Tzedeck synagogue, in Vancouver, B.C., May. 31, 2024. The Canadian Press/Ethan Cairns

Members of Canada’s Jewish community held Shabbat services on Jun 1st morning following a week of attacks targeting schools and religious institutions that have raised fears of rising antisemitism.

In Vancouver, the Schara Tzedeck synagogue held its first service since what police describe as an act of arson charred the building’s front door on May 30 night.

Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt called it a “cowardly” act and encouraged members to come out Saturday to create strength in numbers.

The attack came after bullet holes were found at two Jewish schools in Montreal and Toronto in recent days.

In Toronto, members of a synagogue that was not directly targeted still felt unsettled and unnerved by the series of attacks they say have created a difficult environment.

Rabbi Edward Elkin of the First Narayever synagogue says he and the congregation are horrified by the attacks, but he’s trying to balance that with gratitude for the good will they feel from the vast majority of the wider community.