Arson suspected in Montreal kosher eatery fire

JTA – A kosher restaurant in Montreal burned to the ground in a suspected arson attack as Canada continues to grapple with rising antisemitism. 

The restaurant, Nöam, burned overnight on Friday while closed for Shabbat. 

Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree posted on X on Saturday that he was “extremely concerned at what appears to be an arson attack on Nöam, a local kosher restaurant that serves as a hub for Montreal’s Jewish community”. 

He continued, “Antisemitism has no place in our societies and we will keep working to root it out wherever it occurs.” 

Cameras at a garage next door in the neighbourhood of Côte-des-Neiges, which has a substantial Jewish population, caught a young man setting the fire, the owner of the adjacent garage told the Montreal Gazette. 

Police told the Gazette it was too early to establish a motive, and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has yet to receive a reply to its query about the attack. 

Jewish organisations were careful not to draw conclusions. Nonetheless, they called on the government to do more to address a spate of attacks on Jewish institutions in Canadian cities. 

“Governments have allowed a climate of intimidation, disorder, and escalating threats to take hold around Jewish communities, leaving Jewish neighbourhoods, institutions, and businesses increasingly exposed,” B’nai Brith Canada said on X. 

“Targeting a restaurant in this way, regardless of the reason, is an unacceptable attack on our shared values,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said on the same platform. “This matter must be fully investigated, and we will be following it very closely.” 

Two weekends ago in Toronto, a gunman fired at the windows of one branch of Kiva’s Bagel Bar, an hour after vandals shattered the glass front of another branch of the bagelry. 

B’nai Brith Canada reported in July that there had been 27 antisemitic incidents during the first six months of 2026, compared with 10 in all of 2025. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney in June established a new body to combat racism. He told a Jewish congregation at the time that the council’s first job would be to address the wave of antisemitic violence. “Canada’s civic compact is failing Jewish Canadians.” 

Carney said that two-thirds of all religion-motivated hate crimes were directed at Canadian Jews. 

The leader of the opposition Conservative Party of Canada suggested that the Nöam fire meant Carney’s efforts are inadequate. 

“Another day. Another attack against Canada’s Jewish people. No more talk. We need real action to protect Jews and other Canadians from the hate crimes the government tolerates on our streets,” Pierre Poilievre said on X. “We want our safety and country back.” 

Anthony Housefather, a Jewish Montreal member of Parliament who like Carney is a Liberal – but who has in the past criticised his party’s postures on Israel and antisemitism – called the attack a hate crime. 

“This attack on a Jewish owned business must be investigated as a hate crime & those involved in this criminal act must be caught & prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said on X. 

Israel’s ambassador to Ottawa tied the fire to a Montreal crowd’s chants of “Death to Israel” at Dor Turgeman, an Israeli player for New England Revolution, during a pro soccer game last Sunday night against CF Montreal. 

“The hate must be stopped before it transforms into something lethal,” Iddo Moed said on X. 

CF Montreal said on Monday that it was reviewing the incident with the Revolution and with Major League Soccer. “The club does not tolerate discrimination or hateful behaviour of any kind,” it said. 

Côte-des-Neiges was the site of a deadly June shooting attack that left a policeman and a Jewish resident dead. The shooter was also killed. The primary motive in that case, however, did not appear to be antisemitism.