Security Update: Shooting Overnight at Bais Chaya Mushka School

Overnight on Yom Kippur, the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in North York was the target of a shooting incident. Please see below an important update from the Jewish Security Network about this crime.

While we are relieved that no one was hurt in this incident, we are outraged by this second shooting attack on Bais Chaya Mushka. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us—and we stand with the school’s students, staff, and parents.

We are grateful for the work of police in response to this serious incident, along with all that police have done to ensure our community can safely observe Yom Kippur. But a second shooting on a Jewish school in Toronto is a clear escalation of violence against our community. This must be a wakeup call to our elected officials—and empty statements of concern need to be replaced by strong and serious actions.

Those who target our community are threatening the values and way of life that have always defined Canada. For months, UJA, CIJA, and many in our community have called for concrete policy changes to stop the extremism, incitement, and glorification of terrorism taking place on a regular basis in the streets of our cities. 

The time is long overdue for our leaders to act. Because the consequences of inaction are horrifying to imagine—and the lives of children are literally at stake.

 
 

Jeff Rosenthal

Chair of the Board

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

 

Adam Minsky
President & CEO

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

 

----JEWISH SECURITY NETWORK UPDATE----

 

On October 12 at approximately 4:00 AM, twelve bullets were fired from a moving vehicle at the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School (4375 Chesswood Drive).

No injuries were reported, as the school was empty at the time. Multiple windows and other parts of the building were damaged. Toronto Police are investigating this serious incident, which follows on a similar overnight shooting at the same school in May.

Throughout the day, the Jewish Security Network has been in communication with police as well as the security monitoring team responsible for Bais Chaya Mushka, to gain insights into the incident and assess the implications for our collective safety. This evening, we are in touch with Bais Chaya Mushka’s leadership, together with Toronto Police, to offer our support and guidance. We have alerted security leads at Jewish institutions across the GTA, strongly advising that they brief their security personnel, staff, and volunteer teams about the need for heightened vigilance.

As community members continue to observe the holidays, we urge all to exercise increased situational awareness and vigilance. Any suspicious behaviour or incidents should be reported to police without delay. When safe, please contact the Jewish Security Network’s 24/7 hotline at 416-635-5600 so we can follow up with police and security leaders at more than 100 Jewish institutions.

Sincerely,

 

The Jewish Security Network