An Orthodox Jewish girls school in Toronto, Canada was the target of gunfire early Saturday morning for the second time in five months. The attack occurred on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement and the holiest day in Judaism. Anti-Semitic attacks have been increasing in Canada since the start of the war in Gaza precipitated by the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
No injuries were reported after shots were fired from a vehicle at around 4 am (0800 GMT) at the Bais Chaya Mushka girls school. The only damage was a broken window, according to authorities. The school in the North York area of Toronto had been targeted in a similar incident back in May. Police believe the two shootings are connected.
A window with a visible bullet hole outside Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School. Toronto police are investigating after shots were fired at the Orthodox Jewish girls school in North York. Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty.
Police have not released any details about suspects, but Inspector Paul Krawczyk told a media conference that the hate crime unit is involved in the investigation. He added that it was particularly concerning the incident happened on Yom Kippur, one of the most sacred days in the Jewish calendar.
Over the past several weeks, police have increased presence in Jewish neighborhoods, and the police presence will increase in the school’s neighbourhood as the investigation continues, with updates provided to the community as more details are available.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “very disturbed” by the incident, which came as Jewish people celebrated Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. According to a report published in May by Jewish organization B’nai Brith Canada, anti-Semitic acts more than doubled in the country between 2022 and 2023.
In November 2023, a Jewish school in Montreal was shot at twice in a single week, with no one injured. The rise in antisemitism across Canada has all been happening under Trudeau’s watch as prime minister.