Vancouver synagogue attacked with ‘incendiary device’

The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver reported that an incendiary device was thrown at the front door of a synagogue in Vancouver, British Columbia, making it the third attack on a Jewish school or place of worship in the past week.

On Thursday, around 9:30 p.m., an incendiary device was thrown at the front door of the Schara Tzedeck Synagogue on Oak Street.

“Fortunately, no one was injured and there was minor damage to the building,” the group said in a community update Thursday.

It said the Vancouver Police Department and fire inspector conducted a “thorough” search of the building and determined it was safe to reopen.

Rich Robertson, director of research and advocacy at the Jewish organization B’nai Brith Canada, told True North that the attack was “horrific” for Jews living in the area.

“It happened when evening services were ending and there were worshipers nearby. To feel unsafe attending synagogue… It’s heartbreaking, honestly,” Robertson said.

Aron Csaplaros, BC regional director for B’nai Brith Canada, was on the scene immediately after the attack, working with Vancouver police.

“We have and will continue to work with Vancouver Police to ensure that the response is as strong as necessary and that the community is safe from further harm,” Robertson said.

The investigation is ongoing and in response, Vancouver police will increase patrols around local Jewish institutions.

The Jewish Federation also said its team of security advisers would “continuously” monitor the situation.

“We are reaching out to all Jewish community organizations and advising them to remain vigilant and follow established safety protocols,” the community update said.

Earlier this week, a Jewish girls’ school in Toronto was shot at, and on Thursday, a Jewish school in Montreal was also shot at.

“This is part of an extremely disturbing pattern of escalation that has seen multiple Jewish institutions become targets of violence over the past week,” Robertson said. “The lack of a decisive response by our government and civic leaders has emboldened and incited those who hold anti-Semitic views to feel that they can act against the Jewish community in Canada without consequence or impunity.”

He called for the use of Canadian legislation and laws to stop further aggression against the Jewish community in Canada.

“We need the federal government to expedite the publication of the report that will be released after the Judiciary Committee hearings on anti-Semitism,” he said. “We need leaders to continue to actively speak out against what is happening as a form of deterrence. We need the police to investigate these allegations and ensure that when they bring charges in relation to hate crimes or hate-motivated incidents, they have the support of the appropriate Attorney General as they seek to prosecute these cases.”

True North reached out to the Vancouver Police Department for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.