TORONTO, Ontario | Toronto Police will deploy enhanced security around synagogues, Jewish schools, gathering places and neighbourhood locations during the Jewish High Holy Days, citing an alarming increase in incidents targeting the cityโs Jewish community.
The heightened police presence will begin Sept. 11 and remain in place through at least Oct. 7, covering the period surrounding Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Toronto Police Service announced the measures Sept. 8, saying it will deploy uniformed and plainclothes officers at strategic locations across the city.
A police command post will also operate near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue, an area at the centre of one of Torontoโs largest Jewish communities.
Task Force Guardian officers will be part of the deployment. Police said those officers have specialized tactical training and access to patrol rifles.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said the measures come as the Jewish community continues to face an elevated security environment.
โWe have seen an alarming increase in incidents targeting Jewish communities,โ Demkiw said.
Police did not disclose a specific new threat against a synagogue, school or other Jewish institution in announcing the High Holy Days deployment.
Counter-Terrorism Unit Monitoring Intelligence
The Toronto Police Counter-Terrorism Security Unit continues to assess intelligence in co-operation with the RCMP and other security and law enforcement agencies.
The deployment is intended to provide additional protection and police visibility at locations where Jewish Torontonians will gather in larger numbers during some of the most important days on the Jewish calendar.
Rosh Hashanah marks the Jewish New Year and is followed by the Ten Days of Repentance leading to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
Synagogues typically experience significantly increased attendance during the High Holy Days, making security planning particularly important for Jewish institutions.
The police deployment will extend through at least Oct. 7, the third anniversary of the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel in 2023.
Mayor Cites โEmboldened Antisemitismโ
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the security measures were necessary amid continued targeting of Jewish institutions and neighbourhoods.
Chow cited โemboldened antisemitismโ in discussing the security environment confronting the cityโs Jewish community.
The announcement follows nearly three years of heightened concern surrounding antisemitism, demonstrations and security at Jewish institutions in Toronto since the Oct. 7 attack and the subsequent war.
Toronto Police reported that since Oct. 7, 2023, officers have made 573 arrests and laid 1,398 charges in connection collectively with demonstrations, protests and hate-motivated offences.
Those figures represent several categories of police activity and should not be interpreted as indicating that all 573 arrests or 1,398 charges involved antisemitism or offences targeting the Jewish community.
The distinction is important because police have responded to a broad range of demonstrations, public-order incidents and alleged hate-motivated offences during that period.
Visible and Covert Security Presence
The combination of uniformed and plainclothes officers means some elements of the High Holy Days security operation will be highly visible while others will not.
Police visibility around synagogues and Jewish schools can serve both a protective and deterrent function, while plainclothes deployments allow officers to operate without drawing the same attention.
The use of Task Force Guardian adds another level to the operation.
The specially trained officers have enhanced tactical capabilities and access to patrol rifles, enabling police personnel to respond to a potentially serious security incident.
The command post near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue will provide an additional operational presence in an area containing numerous Jewish institutions and a significant Jewish population.
Police have not indicated that the deployment is being made in response to intelligence about a specific planned attack.
Instead, the operation is being presented as an enhanced precaution during a period of increased Jewish religious activity and heightened concern about antisemitic incidents.
Toronto Police are asking members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious or potentially criminal activity.
The enhanced measures reflect the ongoing security challenges facing Jewish communities in Toronto and other Canadian cities, where synagogues, schools, and community organizations have increasingly incorporated security planning into religious services, educational activities, and public gatherings.
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