B’nai Brith says B.C. Jewish groups received threats

While police in cities across Canada investigate reports of bomb threats sent to Jewish organizations, B’nai Brith says a number of groups in B.C. have also been targeted.

B’nai Brith tells 1130 NewsRadio locations in B.C., including nearly a dozen in Vancouver, were among more than 100 institutions nationally that received “one mass email” from an anonymous sender.

“To the best of my knowledge, all the targeted organizations, institutions across the country received the exact same email. It was one mass email to dozens of Jewish institutions across the country and to the hospitals in the Ottawa area,” Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy, B’nai Brith Canada, said in an interview.

An ‘atmosphere of fear’

Rabbi Philip Gibbs of the Congregation Har El in West Vancouver says his synagogue was among those that received the email, which he explains was copied to dozens of facilities.

He says it’s deeply frustrating that a small group or one person can “amplify themselves to spread that fear,” even if there was no physical risk.

“At the same time, as we are seeing an increase in violent language in this atmosphere of fear, we do need to remain vigilant and careful. But it is something that does just really hit at the heart of the community, of triggering past traumas, past concerns, and it really turns a synagogue, which is supposed to be a sanctuary, a safe and comfortable space, into a place that some of our families do think twice about coming to our services or events,” he told 1130 NewsRadio.

Gibbs says his synagogue did not have any programming planned for Wednesday, so worshippers weren’t expected to attend the facility. However, recognizing that this threat could increase fear among members, he says the synagogue continues to “take precautions.”

“But we really are trying to run as normally as possible,” he added.

He explains the congregation’s office manager reported the incident to West Vancouver police, adding officers attended “right away.”

“They continue to be very supportive but I don’t know specifically they talked about at this time, especially because it was clear quite quickly that there was not a physical threat at that time,” he shared.

“I think the most important thing is, as this is trying to increase that sense of fear, within the synagogue community, it’s on us to ensure that we’re able to take the precautions that we need to — to continue to use common sense, to be vigilant — but I really do think that it’s the obligation on really the entire society to be able to create an environment where attacks like this … to spread this fear, that’s something that all of society has to push back against.”

Over a dozen congregations listed by B’nai Brith as having received threats

Initially, B’nai Brith did not share which locations specifically received threats. However, a follow up email noted more than a dozen facilities and organizations in the province, including two in Richmond and nearly 12 in Vancouver. Robertson says the delay was due to the “evolving situation,” adding the group had to “go through the email to locate” all of the institutions.

Robertson says B’nai Brith “reached out immediately to the police departments where we have physical offices at B’nai Brith, as is our policy and procedure.”

“And we made local law enforcement here aware of the threat and the gravity of the threat. And the institutions across the country, they took down all this information, and it’s our understanding that they are going to be liaising with or working with law enforcement across the country,” he explained.

In an update just after noon, Vancouver police said they still had not received any reports.

“We are closely monitoring what’s going on in other parts of the [country]. As of now, there hasn’t been reported threats to places in Vancouver,” Const. Tania Visintin stated.

However, at 1:45 p.m., Visintin said police were “now aware that an email has been sent to a location here in Vancouver.”

“At this time, we don’t believe there is an immediate threat, however we will be increasing police presence, working with community leaders as well as our partners at the RCMP,” she shared.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said in a social media post that his team has been “in close contact” with the VPD.

“We stand with our Jewish neighbours across our city and country – united against antisemitism, threats of violence, and hate in all its forms,” he wrote.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to the BC RCMP and other local detachments for comment.

Meanwhile, B.C. Premier David Eby says he’s “been made aware that multiple synagogues in BC were targeted by a bomb threat.”

“BC unequivocally stands against antisemitism. Our Public Safety Minister [Mike Farnworth] is working with police agencies to address threats and keep people safe,” the premier said on X Wednesday afternoon.

Farnworth also confirmed his team was working with the VPD and BC RCMP, “who are coordinating at a national level to investigate these heinous threats.”

B’nai Brith Canada said previously that more than 100 Jewish institutions received an email at 5 a.m. ET threatening explosions, including at their offices in Toronto and Montreal.

“This is not just an attack on our safety — it’s an attack on the fabric of Canadian society,” B’nai Brith wrote on X.

Synagogues, Jewish community centres, and hospitals in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa are among those which confirmed they have received the threat.

“Given the scope of the institutions targeted from coast to coast, Jewish institutions, as well as hospitals and medical facilities in the Ottawa area, I think that we can say that the intention of whoever is responsible for this threat was to intimidate and harass the Jewish community. That’s made very clear by the sheer number of Jewish institutions across the country that were the focus and the target of this threat,” said Robertson.

He says the Jewish community is increasingly being targeted by hate, adding it’s up to “stakeholders from all levels” to stand up.

-With files from Dean Recksiedler and Srushti Gangdev