Jewish community members are calling on the Canadian government and residents to take a stance against hate and antisemitism after three synagogues were hit by gunfire this week in the Greater Toronto Area.
No one was injured and suspects have not been identified in the two shootings in North York and one in Vaughan, according to Toronto and York police.
There’s been escalating hate and violence towards the Jewish community over the past two years, said Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs CEO Noah Shack at a news conference outside the Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue, which was shot at earlier this week.
“Canada is at a crossroads,” he said, as police, politicians and other Jewish community members stood by him at a podium.
That same pattern of violence was seen in Australia and eventually led to the deadly events at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, 2025, said Shack.
“We have a clear choice to make whether we are going to be a city, province, country that buries its head in the sand and tolerates this kind of intimidation,” he said.
Police investigating after 2 GTA synagogues hit by gunfire overnight
Shack is calling on the government to take “concrete action” against antisemitism and for Canadians to stand with the Jewish community to push back on leadership to not accept hate of any kind.
The events of this past week are shocking, but not surprising given the trajectory of hate and violence towards Jewish people in Canada lately, said Sara Lefton, chief development officer of the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto.
“We are shaken to our core at this moment,” she said. “It’s beyond anything that we could have imagined.”
She called on “every part of Canadian society” to take action against the discrimination towards the Jewish community.
Lefton also said police services and all levels of government need to come together for “specific commitments” and for funding to help the community feel secure.
“It’s not enough to say our thoughts and prayers are with the Jewish community. This is not a Jewish issue, this is a Canadian issue,” said Lefton.
Gun shots were visible through “three layers” of the building during a tour of one of the synagogues, said federal public safety minister Gary Anandasangaree.
He strongly condemned the shootings within the last week.
“The forms of antisemitism we see that’s turning into violence is not the Canadian way,” he said.
“When they attack a synagogue, they attack Canada. They attack the institutions in Canada, including places of worship.”
Anandasangaree said the federal government and law enforcement agencies will work together to support the community and respond to the incidents.
While he acknowledged that the government has work to do, Anandasangaree said they would improve access to grants for community groups and strengthen laws that punish hate.
