Strong Smell of Anti-Semitism: Kosher Restaurant Torched and Burned to the Ground

The kosher restaurant 'Noam' in Montreal was almost completely destroyed by fire early Saturday morning, suspected to be arson. Police are reviewing security footage showing a masked person pouring a flammable substance and fleeing. The building owner and a Jewish parliament member demand the incident be investigated as an anti-Semitic hate crime. The event adds to a series of attacks on Jewish targets in Canada.

The kosher restaurant 'Noam' in Montreal was almost completely destroyed by fire early Saturday morning, and local police have opened an investigation on suspicion of arson. The fire broke out around 3:15 a.m. local time at the restaurant on Decarie Street in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district. There were no injuries, but heavy damage was caused and many firefighting units were called to the scene. Montreal police spokesperson Raphaël Bergeron said investigators have preliminary information that a person was seen at the scene when the fire broke out. Security footage shows a masked person, wearing dark pants and a white shirt, apparently pouring a flammable substance, setting the place on fire, and fleeing. The arson investigation unit is examining the incident, but the motive has not yet been determined. Howard Slabovitz, the building owner, said he purchased the property with his father about forty years ago. According to him, the building also houses a garage, a car wash, and offices, but the fire specifically damaged the restaurant. He expressed difficulty believing it is not anti-Semitism, given that it is a kosher restaurant. Jewish parliament member Anthony Housefather, who represents the Mount Royal district, arrived at the scene and demanded the incident be investigated as a hate crime. He wrote that he is completely disgusted by what appears to be the arson of a local kosher restaurant, and that the attack on a Jewish-owned business must be investigated as a hate crime. He noted that the restaurant owners recently invested a significant amount in renovating the place, and called the fire a 'terrible tragedy'. The borough mayor, Stéphanie Valenzuela, said the authorities are in contact with the police and emphasized that acts of violence and intimidation are unacceptable in neighborhoods. Paula Samuel, director of B'nai Brith in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, said the community is shocked, and many fear the attack stemmed from hatred. The organization demands a transparent and swift investigation that also examines the possibility of domestic terrorism. The event adds to a series of attacks on Jewish targets in Canada. Last week, shots were fired at a Jewish-owned bakery in Toronto, and another branch of the same chain was vandalized. In June, a suspect was arrested for attempting to set fire to Temple Emanu-El synagogue in Montreal. According to B'nai Brith, 27 violent anti-Semitic incidents have been recorded this year as of mid-July. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently admitted that Canada has failed in its fight against anti-Semitism. According to data, about a third of hate crimes in the country are committed against Jews, despite them making up one percent of the total population.