Shots Fired Again at Door, Windows of Yeshiva Gedolah of Montreal 3 Days After Shooting

By Matis Glenn

Shots were fired again at the building of Yeshiva Gedolah of Montreal early Sunday morning, only three days after a similar incident occurred at the yeshiva and another Jewish school and within a week of a shul firebombing, as the Jewish community there faces a dangerous rise in violent antisemitism.

At around 5 a.m., police were called by yeshiva security, who were present at the time, when shots were heard and seen being fired at the yeshiva building. Doors and windows were damaged, according to Montreal Chaverim, but Baruch Hashem no one was injured.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, on social media, called the shooting “despicable.”

“We will not allow Montreal to be the scene of such acts,” she wrote. “We must fight antisemitism. All Montrealers have the right to feel safe.”

When the yeshiva was shot at last week, the gunman fired at the building of Herzilia Talmud Torah Elementary school as well, which is about 10 minutes away from Yeshiva Gedolah by car. Last Monday, Molotov cocktails were thrown at the door of Congregation Beth Tikvah Ahavat Shalom Nusach Hoari, and at the Federation CJA building just yards away, causing charred markings on the doors. No injuries were reported in any of the above incidents.

Police have reportedly increased their presence in Montreal Jewish neighborhoods, in both marked and unmarked vehicles, in response to the crime wave.

A local Imam, Adil Charkaou allegedly made inciteful comments before the firebombing occurred, saying “God, take care of the aggressor Zionists. Make sure you don’t leave one.” Charkaou’s comments prompted Quebec’s Premier François Legault to request a police investigation. Imam Adil Charkaou has reportedly been under police surveillance for years, but it has not been announced if he is under investigation for the remarks.

“We have pretty good leads,” Montreal askan Mayer Feig told Hamodia, referring to Sunday’s shooting.