Three Toronto Synagogues Hit by Gunfire in One Week

Two synagogues in the Greater Toronto Area were struck by gunfire overnight Friday, as police investigate what authorities say may be part of a series of attacks targeting Jewish institutions in the region. The incidents mark the third synagogue shooting reported in the Toronto area within a week, following an earlier gunfire attack at Temple Emanu-El in North York, raising concerns about a growing pattern of violence against Jews in the area.

York Regional Police said officers responded to reports of shots fired around 11:49 p.m. Friday. Investigators later determined that gunfire had been directed at the Beth Avraham Yosef of Toronto synagogue, where at least six bullets tore through the building’s front doors. Two people were inside the synagogue at the time of the shooting, police said. No injuries were reported.

Just after midnight, Toronto Police Service officers responded to reports of multiple shots fired near Bathurst Street and Glencairn Avenue in North York. Police later confirmed that the Shaarei Shomayim synagogue had been struck by gunfire, with bullet holes found in the building’s front entrance.

Toronto police said additional investigative resources have been assigned to the case, including the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force and the Hate Crime Unit, working alongside other officers from.

“Synagogues in both Toronto and York Region have been struck by gunfire this week, and investigators are examining whether these incidents are connected,” Toronto police said in a statement posted on social media.

Authorities said an increased police presence has been deployed around Jewish neighborhoods, places of worship, and community institutions while the investigation continues. Toronto police have also established a command post near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West as officers gather evidence and review surveillance footage.

York Regional Police described the Thornhill shooting as “deeply troubling and completely unacceptable,” saying patrols and visible police presence are being increased around faith-based institutions and community centers across the region.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the incidents, writing on social media that the shootings were “disgusting acts of antisemitism, hate and intimidation.” “Toronto’s Jewish community has the right to practice their faith without fear, intimidation or violence,” Chow said.

Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca also denounced the attack in Thornhill. “I am both disgusted and angered to learn that the Beth Avraham Yosef of Toronto synagogue in our community has been hit with gunfire overnight,” Del Duca said in a statement, adding that police are working to restore “our community’s sense of safety and security.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney said the attacks represented “an assault on the rights of Jewish Canadians to live and pray in safety,” and pledged federal support to help law enforcement identify those responsible.

Iddo Moed, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, said he was “shocked and outraged” by the attacks. “These cowardly assaults on houses of worship are abhorrent acts of violence that strike at the heart of our shared values—safety, dignity, and freedom of religion,” Moed wrote on social media.