Anastasia Zorchinsky issued a forceful response after an overnight arson attempt was reported at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Westmount, Montreal.
The attempted attack has shaken Montreal’s Jewish community and reignited anger over the rise of antisemitism, radicalization, and threats targeting Jewish institutions across Canada.
For Zorchinsky, the incident is not simply about one synagogue. It is about a dangerous climate where hatred is being allowed to grow without enough consequence.
“We don’t need another federal committee,” Zorchinsky said. “We need the government to enforce the law. When people are allowed to radicalize into jihadis, Jew hatred grows. It needs to be stopped dead in its tracks.”
She also warned that political leaders cannot keep treating attacks against Jews as isolated incidents.
“This was not just an attack on a building,” she might say. “It was an attack on Jewish life, Jewish safety, and the right of every Canadian Jew to pray without fear. A synagogue should never need to feel like a fortress.”
Zorchinsky’s message was clear: sympathy is no longer enough. She called for action, arrests, prosecutions, and stronger protection for Jewish schools, synagogues, and community spaces.
The Westmount incident adds to growing fears among Jewish Canadians, many of whom feel that antisemitism has become louder, more aggressive, and more tolerated in public spaces since October 7.
Zorchinsky framed the issue as a test of Canadian leadership.
“If the government cannot protect Jews when synagogues are being targeted, then what exactly is it waiting for?” she might add. “Jewish Canadians do not need speeches after the fire. They need protection before the next match is lit.”
For Zorchinsky, the conclusion is simple: enforce the law, confront radicalization, and stop allowing antisemitism to hide behind politics, slogans, or excuses.