TORONTO — As antisemitic violence continues to surge globally and at home, the Toronto Police Service used its fifth annual Hanukkah ceremony on December 17 to deliver a clear public message: the city’s police leadership stands firmly with Toronto’s Jewish community and will intensify efforts to confront hate.
Speaking before senior officers, elected officials, Jewish community leaders, and chaplains at Toronto Police headquarters, Chief Myron Demkiw said the lighting of the menorah carries renewed urgency following the horrific antisemitic terror attack in Australia the previous weekend.
“Lighting the menorah reminds us that even in times of darkness, a small light can make a big difference,” Demkiw said. He described the Australian attack as a sobering reminder that “darkness takes many forms, including hatred, violence, and ignorance.”
“The Toronto Police stand in solidarity with Jewish communities here in Toronto, in Australia, and around the world,” Demkiw said. “And we are determined to do everything we can to address the recent resurgence of hate and antisemitism we have been witnessing.”
The ceremony took place against the backdrop of an unprecedented rise in antisemitic incidents since October 7, 2023. According to Demkiw, Toronto police have made 466 arrests and laid more than 1,000 charges connected to demonstrations, unrest, and related criminal activity during that period.
Demkiw emphasized that confronting antisemitism requires a collective response from society as a whole, not only law enforcement.
“This is something all Torontonians, all Canadians should be paying attention to and participating in confronting,” he said. “For police, part of this work includes our presence in the community.”
He confirmed that throughout Hanukkah, residents can expect an increased and highly visible police presence around Jewish institutions, synagogues, schools, and community spaces. He also highlighted the less visible but equally critical work being done behind the scenes by investigators, intelligence units, and plainclothes officers.
“We continue enforcing the law to the fullest extent possible as we have done over the past two years,” Demkiw said.
Beyond enforcement, the Chief stressed the importance of education, training, and dialogue within the Service. He said Toronto police officers receive ongoing instruction on hate crimes and antisemitism, including immersive training developed in partnership with community organizations such as the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies.
“It also includes prevention and proactive measures, like the meaningful time our officers spend in communities, visiting synagogues, schools, listening and understanding,” Demkiw said. “Keeping our communities safe is a mission we carry out year round, 24/7.”
Demkiw also publicly thanked the Toronto Police Service’s newly formed Jewish Internal Support Network and the Jewish Community Consultative Committee for their role in strengthening trust and communication between police and the Jewish community. He credited these groups with providing cultural guidance, advising on community concerns, supporting hate crime prevention initiatives, and helping officers better understand the realities facing Jewish Canadians.
“The insights from these two groups, combined with the strong relationships that we have with leaders and members of our Jewish communities, will continue to help us become a better and more inclusive organization,” he said.
Toronto Police Service Board member Ann Morgan echoed the Chief’s remarks, saying the symbolism of Hanukkah carries particular weight at a time of rising hatred.
“The light of Hanukkah reminds us that hope, courage, and compassion endure,” Morgan said. “It is a light kindled not because the world is safe or easy but precisely because it is not.”
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner also addressed the gathering through a recorded statement, speaking about the universal power of light and the personal meaning Hanukkah holds for him and his family.
“When we bring people light, they will find their way,” Kerzner said.
The ceremony also featured remarks from Inspector Paul Rinkoff, who co-chairs the Toronto Police Service Jewish Community Consultative Committee, and Michael Levitt, CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies. Levitt described the committee as a critical forum for direct engagement during a period of sustained antisemitic pressure.
“In the face of hate and violence targeting our people, our response must be to be even more proudly Jewish,” Levitt said. “To have more candlelightings like this one with trusted friends and valued allies.”
Rabbi Shmuel Neft, one of the Service’s newest chaplains, led a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the antisemitic terror attack in Australia. He described Toronto police officers as “beacons of light” whose daily interactions help uplift the city.
The menorah was lit by Chief Demkiw, members of the Command team, and guests, including MPP Michelle Cooper, Inspector General of Policing Ryan Teschner, and Toronto City Councillor James Pasternak.
Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem more than 2,100 years ago following the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire. The holiday marks both Jewish spiritual resilience and national survival, themes repeatedly referenced throughout the ceremony.
Toronto police officials stressed that while holding a Hanukkah ceremony at police headquarters is safe, that reality cannot be taken for granted elsewhere in the world.
“That is a troubling reality and one we cannot ignore,” Rinkoff said.
The Toronto Police Service concluded the event by reaffirming its commitment to community protection, partnership, and enforcement, emphasizing that confronting antisemitism is not a seasonal effort but an ongoing responsibility.
