Jewish communities across Canada are experiencing a renewed wave of fear after dozens of synagogues and Jewish organizations received bomb threats this week, deepening concerns about growing antisemitism since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war.
While police have indicated the threats are likely false and say there is no immediate danger, many Jewish Canadians describe the impact as deeply unsettling. Several individuals who spoke with media asked to remain anonymous, saying they feared potential consequences for themselves and their families.
Many point to a noticeable change over the past year, saying antisemitic rhetoric has become more visible and aggressive following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel’s following military response in Gaza.
Some parents say their children now attend schools and daycares protected by police officers or private security. Others report changing their daily habits or avoiding outward expressions of their Jewish identity to reduce the risk of harassment or violence.
In Saskatoon, 40-year-old Jeffrey Hendren said he has stopped wearing his kippa in public after being verbally targeted. He recalled walking past pro-Palestinian demonstrators at a shopping mall and becoming the focus of their anger.
“They were yelling at me, blaming me of being a murderer and sustaining genocide,” Hendren said. “I tried to stay calm and talk, but it escalated to the point where I felt unsafe.”
For Jewish students, the anxiety can feel constant. Cogie Cogan, 22, a student at Western University in London, Ont., said the bomb threats intensified fears that have been mounting for months. Speaking from Winnipeg, their hometown, Cogan said the situation feels fragile.
“It only takes one person with brutal intentions,” Cogan said. “The question is what happens when a threat becomes real?”
Cogan added that many Jewish students feel compelled to stay silent about their views on Israel, the Oct. 7 attacks, and the war in Gaza, worried about social backlash, isolation, or retaliation. Some believe antisemitic behaviour on campuses is often dismissed or downplayed.
Israeli officials say the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks killed roughly 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 hostages being taken. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across the territory.
Since then, Jewish institutions across Canada have reported incidents including vandalism, arson attempts, and gunfire directed at synagogues and community centres.
Cogan said antisemitism now appears in both blatant attacks and more subtle forms. “Whether it’s microaggressions or blaming Jewish people for events in the Middle East, it feels like the boundaries of what’s considered acceptable have shifted,” they said.
Experiences within the Jewish community, however, are not uniform. Amir Fleischmann, 30, who lives in Toronto and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Michigan, said he acknowledges the seriousness of antisemitism but struggles with comparisons between hoax threats in Canada and the real violence unfolding in Gaza.
“We’re dealing with threats of bombs here, but people in Gaza are actually living under bombardment,” Fleischmann said.
He has participated in pro-Palestinian and anti-war protests and said he has largely felt accepted in those spaces. Fleischmann believes confusion and misinformation surrounding the pro-Palestinian movement may be contributing to fear among some Jewish Canadians.
“It becomes complicated when any expression of support for Palestinian rights is immediately framed as antisemitism,” he said, while emphasizing that he does not dismiss the experiences of others. He added that the harshest criticism he has personally faced came from pro-Israel demonstrators who labeled him a “self-hating Jew.”
Jewish organizations have responded by emphasizing resilience. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs described the bomb threats as disruptive but not credible, calling them “nuisance emails” intended to intimidate. The organization said the community remains committed to public Jewish life.
Similarly, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto stated that Jewish Canadians are “prepared, resilient, and proud,” and will not be deterred by intimidation.
For Hendren, the path forward lies in unity.
“We’re a small community,” he said. “But all of this has brought us closer. We’re standing together, and we’re not going to disappear or hide who we are.”
