What do two Jewish men being brutally stabbed in London have to do with Toronto? Everything.
There are just too many attacks on Jewish people, businesses, schools and synagogues in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for the people in charge to keep their heads buried in the sand. With what just happened in the United Kingdom, it is only a matter of time before a similar tragedy strikes here.
Jews do not feel safe in Toronto. In a joint statement, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the United Jewish Appeal Foundation declared: 'There is a coordinated campaign to erase Jewish life in Canada. And it is not only being waged through violence and intimidation. For months, a veritable witch hunt across various channels has targeted all Jewish community institutions with the goal of erasing Jewish life in this country.'
No minority group should feel that way, nor would such treatment be tolerated if it were directed at any other community.
Reports from London indicate that a 76-year-old man and a 34-year-old man were stabbed and are recovering in hospital. This incident, along with the random shooting slaughter on Hanukkah at Bondi Beach near Sydney, Australia, should serve as a stark warning to Canada: no matter how many tactical units are deployed as a deterrent, antisemites can strike whenever and wherever they choose.
Moshe Joseph, owner of Aleph Bet Judaica on Bathurst Street, saw his window shattered by a rock for the third time. While police may not classify it as a hate crime, his customers feel it is and have rallied to purchase from his gift shop to help him pay for another window replacement. Ironically, Joseph was at the Sephardic Kehila Centre in Vaughan on Saturday when a man allegedly attempted to force his way into a synagogue and assault a victim, according to York Regional Police.
Investigators have released images of a suspect in that incident, hoping the public can help identify him. In the gift shop's case, no security footage has been released, exemplifying the broken windows theory: the less seriously a smashed window is taken, the more smashed windows will follow. Eventually, as evidenced by three unsolved synagogue shootings in the GTA, more people will be stabbed or shot.
The London attack has been declared a terrorist incident. Two Jewish men were stabbed and injured on a London street, and police arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder. In contrast, Toronto seems to treat such incidents more as an irritant or nuisance. People who hate Jews and Israel are given wide latitude as long as they do not cross the line too far. This is a significant risk; violence can escalate, which Toronto Police have tried to address through Task Force Guardian, a public display of force around Jewish sites and sporting events.
Independent journalist and lawyer Caryma Sa'd reported that her videographer, Lee, who is Jewish, is routinely targeted and harassed while filming protests and events. Recently, after being commended for helping a man who had entered TTC subway tracks back to safety, he was attacked at Yonge and Dundas Streets. He was allegedly assaulted and had his hat and eyeglasses stolen. The broken frames were later found, but the prescription lenses are missing. When the victim asked a security guard for help, the guard told him to call police himself and did not offer assistance. Sa'd noted that Toronto Police responded, making three arrests and charging two individuals. Tierra Bolden, 22, was charged with assault with a weapon, assault, and mischief under $5,000, while Sofia Izquierdo, 23, was charged with one count of assault. The charges have not been tested in court, and the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Officials must condemn these incidents. Perhaps if the victim had been playing O Canada in Nathan Phillips Square, police and security would have shut off his radio and possibly threatened to remove him from the area. After what happened in England, Canada can take no chances. The Toronto Sun has reached out to Mayor Olivia Chow, Premier Doug Ford, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Police Chief Myron Demkiw for comment, as they should speak out.
Since October 7, 2023, the Jewish community has felt under siege, and the system seems to have no answer. We must pay attention because after what happened in London and Sydney, it is clear that something equally evil could easily happen here.
