Montreal synagogue likely hit with pellet gun bullets, says rabbi: ‘Our third incident in less than two years’

Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Montreal. Photo by Google Street View

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A Montreal synagogue has been hit with what its rabbi believes were bullets of a pellet gun overnight on Thursday.

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The incident occurred at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Westmount. The synagogue’s executive director was about to attend a meeting in the boardroom on Friday and noticed there were “holes in some of the windows” but “nothing penetrated the building,” Rabbi Lisa Grushcow told National Post.

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No one was injured and police were notified. The investigation is ongoing.

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“Obviously, this is not what we want to see happening,” said Grushcow. “This is our third incident in less than two years.”

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Rabbi Lisa Grushcow of Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom speaks. Photo by Tim Snow /Montreal Gazette

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In February 2025, a swastika was spray-painted on the side of the building, the Montreal Gazette reported. In June, a man was arrested and charged with arson after an attempt to set the synagogue on fire, according to the publication.

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Grushcow clarified that while the motive of this latest incident was not yet known, it is “impossible to ignore the context that we’re in, of rising radicalization and rising antisemitism.”

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“All that we know for sure is that this seemed to have been a deliberate act against our synagogue,” she said.

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“We’re going to gather tonight and tomorrow morning for Shabbat. We’re going to do what we always do. We’ve got a guest who is a minister in the United Church who’s speaking tomorrow morning because part of what we do is, we build bridges between communities. We will always be on the side of of building and not destroying, and hoping to help be a positive force in this world that we live in.”

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Westmount Mayor Michael Stern confirmed to National Post that he was aware of the incident.

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“Police are on it, and everybody’s safe,” he said.

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Montreal police did not immediately respond to National Post’s request for comment.

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