Toronto synagogue Kehillat Shaarei Torah was vandalized for the second time in less than a month—police released a photo of a suspect
UPDATE (5/18/24): Toronto Police Service released the blurry image of a male in a blue hooded jacket, black pants and back shoes related to this hate-motivated mischief investigation at Kehillat Shaarei Torah. Irwin Beron dropped everything and rushed to his synagogue, Kehillat Shaarei Torah (KST), when he learned that the north Toronto shul had been […]
Montreal’s historic Bagg Street Shul defaced with antisemitic graffiti
Members of the Montreal police hate crimes unit were expected to meet today (March 29) with officials of the historic Bagg Street Shul after it was defaced with Nazi symbols. Michael Kaplan, the century-old synagogue’s president, said the vandalism occurred sometime over the weekend. He described it as the first such incident of its kind […]
Multiple attempted break-ins at a Toronto shul are low priority for police—as Rabbi Shmuel Neft recently found
UPDATE (8/9/22): Toronto city councillor James Pasternak confirmed a suspect has been arrested and charged—read the initial Aug. 3 story on the break-ins below. Rabbi Shmuel Neft thought the police would be more concerned by multiple attempted break-ins of a space that operates as both a shul and Jewish community centre. The director and spiritual […]
Côte St. Luc is encouraging home-based shuls to move into commercial properties
Côte St. Luc has taken what it describes as the first step in addressing the growing number of places of worship operating in homes in strictly residential zones. The city council unanimously adopted the first draft of a bylaw amendment that would allow religious groups to set up in certain buildings located in zones now […]
Beth Tikvah and Beth David: Light gets shed on a merger of two Toronto synagogues
Two long-established Toronto synagogues have been tightlipped about plans to merge, but a recent email to members of the shuls provides some details. The merger is between Beth Tikvah Synagogue at 3080 Bayview Ave. and Beth David Congregation at 55 Yeomans Rd. Both synagogues are Conservative and egalitarian. An amalgamation of the houses of worship […]
Approval of new shul in Outremont, Que., draws noisy opposition
After a period of relative peace between the Hasidic and non-Hasidic residents of Outremont, Que., the borough council’s decision to allow a new synagogue on Bernard Avenue has rekindled tensions.
Shul in shuttered day school finds new home, thanks to developer
A synagogue in Thornhill, Ont., is being saved by the Iranian developer who bought the land it currently occupies.
Shuls beef up security following Pittsburgh attack
Toronto-area synagogues have been making big investments in new security measures in recent weeks.
Pittsburgh shooting sparks debate over guns in Canadian shuls
If, in the aftermath of the deadly Pittsburgh shooting, you are considering bringing your gun to synagogue for added protection the experts have some advice for you: don’t.
Restaurant owner evicts Dutch Jewish community from synagogue
Members of Beth Shoshanna, a Masorti/Conservative Jewish congregation of approximately 30 people, packed up and loaded into a van their Torah scroll and other scripture, as well as other items used for worship and furniture. The move followed a legal fight against the building’s new owners, who are seeking to turn it into a restaurant.
