'We're just more vigilant,' synagogue and mosque leaders in Canada say amid rise in hate crimes

As police forces in major Canadian cities report a dramatic spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes in recent weeks — a surge correlated with the Israel-Hamas war — synagogues and mosques throughout the country are amping up security measures to protect their communities.

As police forces in major Canadian cities report a dramatic spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes in recent weeks — a surge correlated with the Israel-Hamas war — synagogues and mosques throughout the country are amping up security measures to protect their communities.

Asher Tannenbaum, a ritual director of Shaare Zion Beth-El Congregation, a synagogue in Montreal, says vigilance has become a major priority.

“Since Oct. 7, we’ve increased security,” Tannenbaum told CTVNews.ca during a phone interview on Friday. “We have the security guard twice a day — in the morning when we have morning service, and when we have evening services. All our external doors are locked. We only have one door that we open and close. We have other entrances, but we keep it to one entrance.”

Tannenbaum added that congregants or community members who hope to visit the synagogue outside of hours of service have to call in advance to make an appointment. He said that a volunteer committee of community members stands with security guards on Saturdays to help identify regulars.

“When it comes to Saturdays when we have more people coming, we have additional security around the building. We’re just more vigilant.”

Tannenbaum said antisemitism is all too familiar in Montreal. “Last September somebody painted Swastikas on a Jewish school,” he said.

Despite the emerging need for tighter security, Tannenbaum said that Jewish solidarity remains strong.