Two synagogues in the Greater Toronto Area face gunfire attacks overnight, prompting calls for enhanced security at Jewish institutions.
Thornhill Synagogue Targeted
York Regional Police respond to reports of shots fired near Clark Avenue and York Hill Boulevard in Thornhill around 11:49 p.m. Friday. Officers discover evidence of gunfire on a building identified as Bayt Synagogue, also known as Beth Avraham Yosef. The structure sustains damage, but no injuries occur.
Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca expresses disgust over the incident. “I am both disgusted and angered to learn that the Beth Avraham Yosef of Toronto synagogue in our community has been hit with gunfire overnight,” Del Duca states. “Thankfully, no one was injured, but I know this hateful and anti-Semitic act will affect my Jewish residents deeply.” He announces increased police presence around synagogues Saturday.
North York Synagogue Shooting
Toronto Police investigate a firearm discharge near Bathurst Street and Glencairn Avenue shortly after midnight. Officers arrive at 12:08 a.m. and find bullet holes in the front door of Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue. No one reports injuries.
Toronto City Councillor Brad Bradford condemns the attack. “I am horrified and outraged,” he posts on social media, noting the synagogue recently celebrated Purim. Bradford calls for heightened police patrols and stronger measures. “It’s long past time for real action to build a city where that isn’t required, where hateful acts like this are prevented and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Broader Response and Investigation
Israel’s Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed demands protection for Jewish sites. “I am shocked and outraged by the shooting attacks that targeted Bayt Synagogue in Thornhill and Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue in North York, Toronto, last night,” Moed declares. “These cowardly assaults on houses of worship are abhorrent acts of violence that strike at the heart of our shared values—safety, dignity, and freedom of religion.”
York Regional Police establish a mobile command post at Promenade Mall Saturday to field public questions. Both Toronto Police and York Regional Police request information, video, or dashcam footage from witnesses to aid the investigations.
