Canadian York Regional Police are currently searching for a male suspect following an attempted forced entry and assault at the Sephardic Kehila Centre in Thornhill, just north of Toronto. The incident, which occurred on Shabbos morning, is being investigated by authorities as a hate crime.

According to police, the suspect attempted to force his way into the shul, located on Bathurst Street just north of Steeles Avenue West, at approximately 9:30 a.m. The suspect assaulted a victim during the incident before fleeing the scene. Baruch Hashem, investigators confirmed that the victim was not injured.

Local officials and community organizations have expressed outrage over the attack, emphasizing the alarming rise in hostility directed at the Jewish community.

Vaughan Mayor Stephen Del Duca stated he had been made aware of the “deeply disturbing assault” and is in contact with police, urging anyone with information to come forward.

“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,” Del Duca wrote in a statement on social media. “This remains a top priority for me as mayor of Vaughan.”

The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto noted that the incident was promptly reported to the Jewish Security Network (JSN), which ensured York Regional Police were notified and are supporting the investigation.

“We are relieved our community member was not seriously injured,” the UJA stated. “That 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. This cannot be tolerated.”

The Greater Toronto Area has seen a sharp uptick in antisemitic incidents since the Hamas massacre in Eretz Yisrael on October 7, 2023. This latest assault follows a string of violent acts targeting Jewish institutions in the area.

Earlier this month, a Jewish-owned restaurant in Toronto was riddled with over ten rounds of gunfire, shattering the display window. In early March, shots were fired at the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (BAYT) in Vaughan, as well as the Shaarei Shomayim shul in Toronto.

While no physical injuries were reported in those shootings, the buildings sustained damage.

Data released by the Toronto Police Service recently found that the city experienced a historic high in reported hate crime incidents, with the Jewish community remaining the leading target. In response to the growing threat, the federal government of Canada recently announced it will allocate $10 million to help Jewish communities strengthen security at their institutions.