Overview
- York Regional Police, which opened a hate/bias-motivated investigation Saturday morning, say a man tried to force his way into the Sephardic Kehila Centre in Thornhill and punched a congregant before fleeing.
- Investigators report the victim was not seriously hurt, the suspect remains at large, and the force’s Hate Crime Unit is leading the case while urging tips from the public.
- Photos shared Sunday showed a shattered window at Aleph Bet Judaica near Bathurst Street and Regina Avenue after a rock struck the storefront, and police said the Hate Crime Unit was consulted.
- Both incidents happened in daylight around 9:30 a.m., a break from several recent late-night shootings that targeted synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses across the Toronto area.
- Community groups and Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca condemned the attacks as part of a wider surge in antisemitism, citing police data showing 2024’s record hate-crime totals and renewed calls for stronger protection and enforcement.