Canadian Synagogue Targeted on Holocaust Remembrance Day (Video)

Fredericton, New Brunswick, January 27, 2024 – The small, peaceful community of Fredericton, New Brunswick, is reeling after a brazen act of vandalism targeted the Sgoolai Israel Synagogue on Westmorland Street. The incident unfolded on a solemn Saturday morning, coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, leaving the local Jewish community shaken.

In photos widely shared on social media, the aftermath of the vandalism was evident, with broken windows and shattered glass strewn both inside and outside the synagogue. Local authorities were alerted to the situation at approximately 8:25 a.m., when members arrived for the Saturday morning service, only to find their place of worship defiled.

Ayten Kranat, the vice president of the Sgoolai Israel Synagogue, expressed her distress over the incident, asserting that the damage was not a random act of violence but rather a planned assault. She revealed that the attack was timed to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, compounding the anguish of the local Jewish community.

“This cowardly antisemitic attack was all the more heinous as it took place as the world marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day,” remarked New Brunswick Public Safety Minister Kris Austin in a statement. “There is no place in New Brunswick for antisemitism,” he added, condemning the act in the strongest terms.

Austin assured that his department collaborated with local law enforcement agencies to assist in the investigation. The Fredericton Police Force examines the incident to ascertain whether it was motivated by targeted hostility or other circumstances.

Political figures across New Brunswick also expressed their dismay over the incident. David Coon, a New Brunswick Green MLA, denounced the vandalism as “an act of hate,” further highlighting the gravity of the situation. Education Minister Bill Hogan weighed in, remarking on the alarming rise of antisemitism worldwide and in Canada. He urged New Brunswickers to reflect on the dark history of the Holocaust.

Despite the ordeal and the sight of their beloved synagogue defaced, members of the Jewish community continued with their Saturday morning service. According to Kranat, the scene was “traumatic,” with shattered glass from panels beside the front doors both outside and inside the synagogue. Five glass panes on the front doors were also deliberately smashed.

Kranat asserted that the attack was calculated, suggesting that the absence of security cameras might have been a factor. She expressed her disbelief at the sequence of events, highlighting that the local Jewish community had already endured harassment during protests related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“Since the start of the Israel-Palestine war, we’ve had to hear chanting and genocidal words from protesters in the downtown area,” Kranat lamented. “And now we have this. I can’t believe this is happening in Fredericton.”