Masked vandal smashes Toronto synagogue windows in latest hate attack, marking tenth assault as Jewish community demands action amid Mayor’s Gaza remarks.
Toronto’s Jewish community is reeling after yet another brazen antisemitic attack — the tenth in just 18 months — targeting Kehillat Shaarei Torah (KST).
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, security cameras captured a hooded suspect armed with a hammer, leaping to shatter synagogue windows before fleeing into the night. Police have launched a hate-crime investigation, describing the suspect as wearing black clothing and white-trimmed shoes.
Despite upgraded security systems and fencing, the vandal managed to breach the perimeter — highlighting a disturbing pattern of escalating hatred toward Toronto’s Jewish institutions.
Executive Director Michael Gilmore said that while congregants have learned to carry on, the community’s patience is thinning.
“We keep moving forward, but when leaders normalize dangerous rhetoric, it trickles down,” he said, referring to Mayor Olivia Chow’s recent comment about “a genocide in Gaza.”
Gilmore warned such language fuels hostility against Jewish citizens already living under threat.
Rabbi Joe Kanofsky echoed his concerns, saying:
“People come here to pray for peace and goodness. To see this violence directed at us is heartbreaking.”
Since the October 7 Hamas massacre, Toronto has seen a historic surge in antisemitic crimes — the worst on record, according to police data. The Jewish community remains the leading target of hate in the city.
Recent months have seen eggs thrown at Jewish centers, graffiti defacing parks, and violent mobs disrupting pro-Israel events — including one that left a speaker injured at Toronto Metropolitan University this week.
The failure of civic leaders to condemn antisemitism with clarity has emboldened extremists, observers say. As the Jewish community continues to rebuild shattered glass and shaken trust, many are calling for stronger police protection and political accountability.
“We will not be intimidated,” said Rabbi Kanofsky. “Our faith, our resilience, and our prayers are stronger than their hate.”
