A popular kosher restaurant in Montreal was heavily damaged in a suspected arson attack early Shabbos morning, prompting a police investigation and renewed concerns over antisemitic violence targeting Jewish businesses.

Montreal police said firefighters responded to the blaze at approximately 3:15 a.m. at Nöam Restaurant on Décarie Boulevard in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. The fire caused catastrophic damage to the restaurant before being brought under control. A neighboring garage sustained only minor damage.

Investigators said a person was seen leaving the area shortly after the fire began, leading the case to be transferred to the Montreal police arson squad. Surveillance footage is being reviewed, and authorities are also investigating whether the restaurant’s owners had received any threats. No arrests have been made, and no injuries were reported.

According to the owner of the neighboring garage, security footage appears to show a lone suspect, believed to be a young man in his early 20s, deliberately setting the fire.

The attack drew swift condemnation from Mount Royal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, who called for authorities to treat the incident as a possible hate crime.

“This attack on a Jewish-owned business must be investigated as a hate crime and those involved in this criminal act must be caught & prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Housefather wrote on X.

Nöam Restaurant, which opened in August 2024, quickly became a popular destination for kosher Mediterranean, Italian, and international cuisine in Montreal’s Jewish community.

Police have not yet determined a motive, but the circumstances surrounding the fire have raised fears that it may have been a targeted attack against a Jewish-owned business.

The investigation remains ongoing.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)