No injuries reported after victim assaulted at synagogue in Thornhill, 1 suspect at-large

Police in York Region are searching for a male suspect who allegedly attempted to forced his way into an orthodox synagogue in Thornhill and assaulted a victim before fleeing the scene on Saturday morning.

The incident, which police say is hate/bias motivated, happened around 9:30 a.m. at Sephardic Kehila Centre, 7026 Bathurst St., just north of Steeles Avenue West. This place of worship serves members of the Jewish community who are of Sephardic heritage, descending from Spain and Portugal.

Investigators say the victim was not hurt.

Del Duca condemns incident

Vaughan’s Mayor Stephen Del Duca said he’s been made aware of the “deeply disturbing assault,” and is in contact with the police and is urging anyone with information to contact them.

“At a time when antisemitism and Jew hatred is on the rise, we must be vigilant and do everything possible to support and protect our Jewish residents. This remains a top priority for me as mayor of Vaughan,” he wrote in a post on X.

Jewish groups speaking out

The UJA (United Jewish Appeal) Federation of Greater Toronto said while it is “relieved our community member was not seriously injured,” what occurred “does not lessen the seriousness of the attack, which reflects a continued pattern of antisemitic violence targeting our community.”

“The Jewish community, like all Canadians, deserves to live in peace and security. As these incidents become more normalized, they erode public safety and our way of life as Canadians,” the organization wrote in a post on X.

“This cannot be tolerated. We are grateful to YRP for their swift response and have full confidence they will do everything in their power to apprehend the suspect.”

B’nai Brith Canada has also issued a statement thanking Vaughan’s mayor for addressing antisemitic violence targeting Jewish communities and also calling for more to be done to address it.

“This is the consequence of those in charge allowing a permissive environment for antisemitism to flourish across Toronto, Ontario, and the rest of the country. Too many people in positions of authority have responded with hesitation, weak enforcement, and political platitudes while Jewish communities continue to pay the price,” the group wrote on X.

“The response now must be the most aggressive enforcement allowed by law, not more statements. The suspect must be apprehended, charges must be pursued, and hate motivation must be treated as a serious aggravating factor at every stage of the process.”

B’nai Brith Canada went on to say that antisemitism “does not stop at municipal borders,” pointing to eight steps it wants governments to take to “restore public safety, enforce the law, and confront antisemitism.”

“When Jewish institutions are targeted, governments, police services, prosecutors, and courts must do their jobs and respond with the full force of the law. Jewish Canadians should not have to enter synagogues, schools, community centres, or neighbourhood businesses wondering whether they will be next,” B’nai Brith Canada said.

Investigation ongoing

York Regional Police’s Hate Crime Unit is investigating.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7441, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.