Crimes against Jews increase in Montreal

A rash of crimes against the Jewish community in two Montreal neighborhoods has included swastikas painted on private homes and robberies.

The Outrement suburb and Côte des Neiges district of Montreal are home to a large number of Chassids.

In Outremount, swastikas were painted on three properties last week, the Jewish Tribune of Montreal reported. Last month, a synagogue was broken into and two swastikas were drawn in the sanctuary. Prayer shawls and prayerbooks were thrown on the floor.

In Côte des Neiges, at least three people identified as Jews, including a 12-year-old boy and a pregnant woman, were robbed, the newspaper reported. There has been a major increase in reported incidents of vandalism and swastikas to the office of B’nai Brith Canada’s Quebec Region, director Heidi Oppen told the Jewish Tribune. — jta