On Thursday night, Montreal Police arrested a 38-year-old man suspected of attempting to commit arson at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Westmount, Quebec. The incident occurred around midnight when emergency responders received a 911 call regarding a fire-starting attempt at the synagogue. The suspect allegedly broke a window to ignite a fire inside, causing only minor damage and no injuries. This attack follows a prior incident last year when the synagogue was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. Rabbi Lisa Grushcow expressed the need for proactive efforts against antisemitism, highlighting that criticism of Israel can lead to violence against Jews when it crosses into libel. The attempted arson coincides with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's announcement of a new federal advisory council aimed at combating antisemitism, which he described as a crisis in Canada, with hate crimes against the Jewish community comprising about 70% of all reported religion-based hate crimes in 2024.