Montreal rabbi says temple service will continue despite attempted arson - BERITAJA

One man has been arrested pursuing an attempted arson astatine a Montreal synagogue, constabulary say.

Officers responded to a spot of believe astatine Sherbrooke Street and Wood Avenue soon aft midnight connected Friday pursuing reports of a fire.

No fishy was recovered astatine the scene, but constabulary spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant told BERITAJA location was a surgery model and that an “incendiary object” was recovered inside.

Brabant said firefighters responded quickly and the building sustained insignificant damage.

“With immoderate accusation that was provided by witnesses, we were capable to apprehension a man who is 38-years-old successful nexus pinch the arson,” he added.

The fishy has met pinch investigators and Brabant said an accusation will beryllium revenge pinch the Crown charismatic later Friday.

No 1 was hurt, said Lisa Grushcow, the rabbi astatine the targeted temple, successful a connection to her congregation and the broader community.

“As I write, our building is afloat unfastened and functional. We are grateful for the dedication and courageousness of our organization and our team,” she said.

But Grushcow said location is interest pinch the emergence successful antisemitism crossed Montreal and Canada.

In 2025, much than two-thirds of each religion-motivated dislike crimes targeted the Jewish community, Prime Minister Mark Carney said successful his reside connected combating antisemitism connected Monday.

“Our authorities will ever protect the inalienable correct of the Jewish group to unrecorded openly successful freedom, information and dignity,” he said. “Protection is fundamental, but not sufficient.”

Carney announced the motorboat and rank of Canada’s caller Ministerial Advisory Council connected Rights, Equality, and Inclusion, pinch a instruction to reassess the drivers of antisemitism, create a whole-of-government attack to target hate, amended the postulation and information connected dislike incidents and measurement the effect of authorities efforts.

On Wednesday, Bill C-9 passed 3rd reference successful the Senate. The measure straight addresses antisemitism and hate-motivated unit by amending the Criminal Code to create a dislike crime offence arsenic good arsenic an offence for restricting entree to places of belief worship.

Grushcow said actions from the authorities are needed, noting the arson effort is the 2nd clip her synagogue was targeted. Last spring, a swastika was spray-painted connected the temple, but Grushcow said these acts will not extremity the organization from gathering.

“Temple will do what we do best: unrecorded a thriving, inclusive, joyous Jewish life,” she said.

Friday Shabbat services will proceed arsenic scheduled, she added.