Toronto police are investigating a second incident this month involving the theft of mezuzahs from Jewish residences, calling it a potential hate crime. The latest thefts occurred on Christmas Day in a North York condominium building.
Details of the December 25th Incident
Just after noon on December 25, 2025, police were called to a building on Bayview Avenue in North York. Officers discovered that four mezuzahs had been removed from the door frames of four separate condo units. A mezuzah is a small case containing a sacred prayer scroll that Jewish families affix to their doorposts as a sign of faith.
A police spokesperson confirmed via email that an investigation is active and the TPS Hate Crime Unit has been notified. This marks the first report of such an incident at this specific location.
A Disturbing Pattern Emerges
This event echoes a similar act of vandalism and theft from early December. At a nearby community housing building, approximately 20 mezuzahs were removed or damaged. Many of those targeted belonged to elderly members of the Russian Jewish community.
Police are still investigating that earlier case. It is not yet known if the two incidents are connected, but their proximity in time and nature has alarmed community leaders and advocacy groups.
Community Reaction and Condemnation
Councillor James Pasternak revealed that the site of the latest thefts is home to many Jewish residents, including Holocaust survivors. In a statement on social media platform X, he linked the acts to a climate of incited hatred.
"There must be a universal condemnation of these acts. And there must be consequences," Pasternak wrote. "The chants on the streets and the feeling of lawlessness is leading Toronto to the abyss."
Major Jewish organizations were swift to respond. B'nai Brith Canada condemned the "disgusting acts" and stated their increasing frequency points to a dangerous normalization of antisemitism. "The intent of the perpetrators is clear, Jews are not welcome and do not belong in our communities," the organization posted on X.
Similarly, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) denounced what it called "another brazen antisemitic act." It urged law enforcement and governments to "act with urgency to protect Canadians and ensure accountability for offenders."
B'nai Brith also emphasized the importance of accurate reporting to ensure proper police response and highlighted the role of its anti-hate tools, including an app and hotline, in facilitating charges against perpetrators.
