Hate crime unit investigating removal of Jewish prayer scrolls from North York doorways

Several Jewish prayer scrolls were reportedly taken from the doorways of a Toronto community housing building over the weekend, Toronto police say, and its hate crimes unit is investigating.

The scrolls, known as mezuzahs, are a piece of parchment with religious texts that is attached in a case to the doorpost of a house as a symbol of Jewish faith.

Toronto police received multiple reports Sunday of mezuzahs being removed from outside units of a Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation building near Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue W., a spokesperson said in an email.

Many older Russian Jewish people live in the building, Coun. James Pasternak said. The building has an informal synagogue where Pasternak said he has visited for Jewish holidays, and he said the rabbi there contacted him Sunday saying he estimated 15 to 20 mezuzahs were taken overnight Saturday.

“Everybody’s really shocked,” he said. "This is a City of Toronto-run building. We want our residents to feel safe, to be safe.”

Pasternak said "antisemitism is swarming the city," and he wants Toronto to have "a unified message condemning it in all its forms."

Mayor Olivia Chow called the reported incident "an outrageous and vile act of antisemitism," in a post on X, formerly Twitter, Sunday night.

"This is a public supportive housing building for seniors. They deserve to live in peace without fear of being targeted for being Jewish," she said.

B’nai Brith Canada said in a statement posted on X that it's organizing a community mezuzah drive this week where people can donate mezuzahs for the seniors at the building.

The Jewish advocacy organization said in its statement that the reported incident is a result of the "permissive nature of the City's response to the rising levels of incitement and intimidation aimed at the Jewish community continues to embolden those who wish to target Jewish Torontonians."