Anxiety over anti-Semitism at synagogues after a week of attacks on Jewish institutions

VANCOUVER — Members of Canada’s Jewish community held Shabbat services Saturday morning after a week of attacks on schools and religious institutions that sparked fears of rising anti-Semitism.

In Vancouver, the Schara Tzedeck Synagogue held its first service since police describe an arson attack that charred the building’s front door Thursday 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 feel uneasy and disturbed by the series of attacks that 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 tries to balance that with gratitude for the goodwill they feel from the vast majority of the wider community.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press