A landmark Toronto area Kosher pizzeria and another Jewish-owned business was broken into on Saturday, with local politicians alleging an antisemitic motivation, but law enforcement cautioning that three businesses appeared to have been targeted for financial motivations, not antisemitism.
3 Jewish businesses, in the largest Jewish community in , attacked on a Jewish holiday. Call this what it is - a blatant attempt to intimidate and target our community. My grandfather started one of these businesses when he came to Canada to give us a better life. Today this… https://t.co/vedigZJ4iq
— Melissa Lantsman (@MelissaLantsman) April 19, 2025
My Zaidy's Pizza was broken into, according to Thornhill MP and Deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman, whose grandfather started the business.
The York Regional Police said Sunday that it was investigating the break-and-enters against three businesses under the belief that they were committed by the same lone perpetrator.
As there was damage only were the suspect sought entry to access cash registers, and there being no additional vandalism, the police said that the incidents were not suspected to be hate-motivated, but break-and-enters for cash.
Lantsman stated on social media that she believed the incident to be "a blatant attempt to intimidate and target our community."
Crimes occurred on the seventh day of Passover
She noted that the crimes against "Three [sic] Jewish businesses, in the largest Jewish community in Canada" occurred on the seventh day of Passover.
"My grandfather started one of these businesses when he came to Canada to give us a better life," said Lantsman. "Today this country is unrecognizable."
Vaughn Mayor Steven Del Duca also decried the incident as vandalism in an attempt to intimidate Jewish residents.
"This is just the latest example of behavior that has been tolerated by too many for too long," Del Duca said in a Saturday statement. "Leaders at all levels of government need to move beyond words and start taking action before this unbearable situation gets worse."
Del Duca said the city and police had done a good job in addressing antisemitism, but needed federal and provincial support.
On March 15, a branch of the Jewish-owned Goldstruck Coffee was vandalized for the third time in a year, and twice in the same week. In January, Kosher eatery La Briut had two of its facilities vandalized on the same weekend, with vandals leaving behind graffiti at the Markham office that read “Free Gaza” and “F*** [sic] Jews.”
Lantsman claimed on X that since 2015 hate crimes and risen in Canada by 251%, and antisemitic hate crimes had risen by 405%.
According to B’nai Brith Canada’s Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents published early April, there were 6,219 recorded anti-Jewish incidents in 2024. This would represent a 7.4% increase in antisemitic incidents from 2023, in which there were 5,791 antisemitic incidents.
The Saturday break-ins at the Jewish business occur amid a broader discussion on public safety and rising antisemitism as an April 28 federal electoral issue.
"Jewish Canadians deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes, schools, and businesses, but after ten years of this Liberal government — it’s the exact opposite," Lantsman continued on X. "A Conservative government will toughen penalties for antisemitic violence, and we will deport any visitor to Canada that commits such hateful acts. Our message to Canada’s Jewish community is this: you are not alone, you should feel proud to be Jewish, and you should never have to hide your Jewishness in order to stay safe."