Beryl Wajsman – The Suburban LJI Reporter
There was shock and outrage in the Montreal Jewish community as staff and members of DDO’s Congregation Beth Tikvah arrived Tuesday morning to charred and burnt front doors and the remnants of a Molotov cocktail thrown at the synagogue. The attack against the synagogue was apparently done sometime in the dark, early hours of Tuesday. Four police cruisers arrived within minutes of the synagogue informing the SPVM. The remnants of another Molotov cocktail were then found at the doors of Federation CJA’s West Island offices nearby. No one was injured at either site. The investigation is ongoing. All security cameras in the area are being checked for clues as to the identities of the assailants. The SPVM Hate Squad is involved in the investigation.
Strong condemnations and messages of support quickly flowed in from Montrealers. Henry Topas, the Cantor at the Congregation and B’nai Brith Canada’s Quebec Regional Director, told The Suburban that, “We were shocked to find the remnants of a Molotov Cocktail thrown at our front doors. No one was injured but the doors are clearly fire-damaged. We thank the SPVM (Montreal Police) and the Community Security Trust (CST) for their quick response and all the work they have been doing to keep our community safe in this trying time,” Topas said.
Federation CJA President and CEO Yair Szalk said, “Antisemitism must be called out and condemned wherever it rears its ugly head, whether it’s words or actions, none of it belongs in our streets. The perpetrators must be held accountable. Federation CJA and our director of Community Security is in close contact with the SPVM to ensure the safety of our community.”
“Since the horrific terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, we’ve seen an explosion in antisemitism. Now, the same hate we’ve seen on the streets of Montreal crossed a red line and morphed into action. The targeting of Jewish institutions is unacceptable and must be addressed. While we acknowledge those who have spoken out, its time leaders across civil society, including in educational institutions such as universities and CECEPs, play an active role in the fight against antisemitism. They must set the tone for what’s acceptable in our society and what will not be tolerated,” said CIJA Vice-President Eta Yudin.
Robert-Baldwin MNA Brigitte Garceau told The Suburban,” I am deeply shaken by the hateful acts committed against the Jewish community in my riding, which must be denounced in he strongest terms. I offer all my thoughts and support to Congregation Beth Tikvah and all members of Federation CJA and the Jewish community during these difficult times.”
DDO Mayor Alex Bottausci said to The Suburban, “I strongly condemn the attack on the Congregation Beth Tikvah synagogue which took place in our city. I want to be clear that our city condemns all hate crimes. The safety of our residents is our top priority and any threat to stability and peace will be dealt with immediately. Violence and aggression are unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community. This is not who we are and it does not reflect our values.”
Father Bertrand Montpetit of St-Lukes Catholic Parish in DDO visited Beth Tikvah in person on Tuesday to show support. “These things should not happen. It’s so sad to see people attacking places of worship,” Montpetit told The Suburban.“It’s so sad to see so many innocents suffering because of this, both on the Israeli and Palestinian side. For the last few weeks at our Sunday masses, we pray for peace and especially peace in Middle East.”
Pastor Jim Slack at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church, only one minute away from Beth Tikvah, told The Suburban that he is deeply saddened by the news of a fire-bombing at Beth Tikvah. “I pray for the Rabbi and members of Beth Tikvah as they experience such a jolt to their sense of security and belonging in this community.”
B’nai Brith Canada issued a statement saying, “This heinous act occurred against the backdrop of weeks of incitement against the Jewish community at hate rallies across the country following Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Jews, who comprise approximately 1 per cent of the country’s population, remain Canada’s most targeted religious minority, with antisemitism accounting for 66.9 per cent of all hate crimes in 2022.”
“There is no place for this in our community. We are shocked, saddened and outraged. This attack has no place in DDO, Montreal, Quebec or Canada. DDO is a beautiful community where people of various religious backgrounds live together with, we all have different points of view, but we live and work together,” Congregation Beth Tikvah president, Charles Leibovich, told The Suburban.
Earlier this year the Hebrew Foundation School, which is next to the synagogue, was attacked by two young men who tore down and defaced Israeli flags.
Tuesday’s attack came just forty-eight hours before Nov. 9th’s 85th commemoration of Kristallnacht, the pogrom called the “Night of Broken Glass”, that saw the burning of hundreds of German synagogues and killing of thousands of Jews by the Nazis that historians date as the beginning of the Holocaust that saw the slaughter of six million Jews.