Houthis strike Saudi targets, Israel marks Oct. 7 anniversary and other Mideast developments

Three years have passed since Hamas launched a terrorist assault on Israel, leading to a fierce Israeli retaliation. In the aftermath, Jewish life in Canada has undergone significant alterations. Lisa Grushcow, senior rabbi of Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Montreal, expresses a sense of upheaval, describing their society as "not quite the society we thought."

Canadian Jews are increasingly experiencing antisemitic attacks, such as firebombings at synagogues, shootings at Jewish schools and physical assaults classified as hate crimes. The country's spy agency, CSIS, reported in its 2025 annual review of several thwarted plots targeting Canadian Jewish institutions, citing religiously motivated violent extremism as having "increased significantly since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict."

Since 2023, Jewish communities have been the most frequently targeted group in police-reported hate crimes, despite making up less than one percent of Canada's population. Toronto police made 573 arrests and filed 1,398 charges in connection with demonstrations, protests and hate-motivated offenses targeting Jewish communities since October 7, 2023.

Security measures have been heightened in response to these threats. Students hide their Star of David necklaces to avoid attacks, and synagogues begin services by pointing out emergency exits. Grushcow's synagogue, established in 1883, has been targeted twice in the past three years: once with a firebomb and another time with a swastika spray-painted on its exterior. The senior rabbi emphasizes the disturbing normalization of security concerns for Jewish communities and the broader societal implications.