A vandal smashed the windows of the Kehilat Shaarei Torah synagogue with a hammer on Tuesday, according to the Toronto Police Service and the congregation, marking the tenth time that the Toronto synagogue has been defaced in a year and a half.
Five of the synagogue windows were broken before dawn by the vandal, who had slipped between the synagogue and its neighbour’s fence.
Police said they are looking for a suspect wearing a black hooded jacket, black pants, and dark shoes with white markings.
Kehilat Shaarei Torah executive director Michael Gilmore said that he suspected the vandal to be the same person who had defaced the synagogue between last April and May.
The synagogue was first vandalized on April 19 when its windows and doors were smashed with hammers. Before the act was repeated on May 17, a dead raccoon was placed on the synagogue lawn, though the Post previously reported that it had been placed there in July.
Toronto's vandal was arrested, facing 29 charges, including arson
Gilmore said that he believed there to be at least three different vandals who had attacked the synagogue since the first incident.
Suspect Amir Arvahi Azar was arrested on January 11 and charged for his role in a series of antisemitic arson and vandalism attacks in the Canadian city from April 26, 2024, until January 3, including some against Kehilat Shaarei Torah.
The 29 charges against Azar included five counts of arson, nine counts relating to mischief, three counts of possessing a restricted firearm without holding a license or registration, two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, possessing a firearm with altered serial numbers, and possession of a prohibited device. Azar also faced the rare charges of advocating for genocide and willful promotion of hatred.
A motorcyclist threw rocks through the windows of Kehillat Shaarei Torah on June 30, as well as through those of the Pride of Israel synagogue.
On July 31, the alleged vandal set synagogue signs on fire with a blowtorch. This happened not long after an incident in which the signs were graffitied.
Hate Decals on Toronto Synagogue Cost $160,000 in Security
Gilmore believed Azar to be responsible for those incidents. The director also understood that a third vandal was responsible for vandalizing synagogue signs with stickers three times.
A large decal reading “genocide” was placed on the synagogue’s signs for the Jewish National Fund and United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto on December 1. A similar sticker was placed on a sign on December 22, so that instead of “standing with Israelis,” the sign read, “Genocide with Israelis, it’s what we do.”
A second sign about the hostages held by Hamas was changed using spray paint from “Bring them home now” to “Take their homes now.”
After several incidents, the synagogue spent over $160,000 on physical security improvements and additional security guards.