Incendiary device thrown at Vancouver synagogue doors, says Jewish federation

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver said Friday that an “incendiary device” was thrown at the front doors of a synagogue in what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called an “act disgusting anti-Semitism.”

Vancouver police said the case was being investigated as an act of arson and possible hate crime.

The federation said in a statement that the incident occurred at the Schara Tzedeck synagogue at around 9:30 pm on Thursday and that the damage was minor and no one was injured.

The federation classifies the alleged incident as a “deliberate act of hatred” and an “attempt to intimidate” the Jewish community.

Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt said people were inside the synagogue after services around 9:20 pm on Thursday when they heard a “bang” outside.

But it was a passerby who alerted them that their building was on fire, before a synagogue member put out the flames with his jacket, Rosenblatt said as he pointed to the charred front door Friday morning.

The federation said the Vancouver Police Department and a fire inspector searched the building before declaring it safe to reopen. Extra police patrols are being implemented at local Jewish institutions.

The incident comes after bullet holes were found at two Jewish schools in Montreal and Toronto in recent days.

“A synagogue in Vancouver was attacked last night in another disgusting act of anti-Semitism,” Trudeau said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We cannot allow this hatred or these acts of violence to continue. This is not the Canada we want to be.”