Officers say they received reports of multiple Mezuzahs being taken from the doorways of units within an apartment building in the Bathurst and Steeles area.

A suspected hate-motivated theft investigation is underway after approximately 20 Jewish prayer scrolls were stolen from the doorways of units in a TCHC building in North York, police say.

Toronto police say on Sunday, just before 10:30 a.m., they were called for reports of a theft near Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue West.

Investigators say multiple residents of an apartment building had property, specifically a mezuzah, stolen from the doorways of their units within the building.

Approximately 20 of these traditional parchment scrolls inscribed with Hebrew verses from The Torah have been reported stolen, police said.

Toronto Police Service has not said exactly when the thefts occurred.

Local councillor ‘shocked and disgusted’

York Centre Coun. James Pasternak posted about the situation on X late Sunday afternoon, saying that the residence in question is located at 6250 Bathurst St. in the Westminster neighbourhood.

He later told CP24 that the Toronto Community Housing building is home to a large number of Russian-speaking Jewish seniors.

The Ward 6 rep has denounced what occurred, saying he’s “shocked and disgusted” by the incident and called it an “act of hate directed at Jewish residents – seniors who deserve safety, stability, and dignity in their own homes.”

Pasternak noted that he’s spoken with the rabbi and connected the building, which has small synagogue that is used on a daily basis by its tenants, with 32 Division.

All of the mezuzas at 6250 Bathurst Street (TSHC) have been torn off. We have spoken with the rabbi and connected the building with 32 Division.

This is an act of hate directed at Jewish residents — seniors who deserve safety, stability, and dignity in their own homes.

There is… pic.twitter.com/p8W3CEI8s9

— James Pasternak (@PasternakTO) December 7, 2025

“There is no excuse for targeting people because they are Jewish. Toronto cannot look the other way while seniors are intimidated in their hallways. We will continue working with residents, Toronto Seniors Housing, and police until safety is restored,” he said.

“The residents are very upset about this targeting and this gross violation of private space and Charter rights. … (They) always felt that their building was welcoming and safe. They chose that building because of its community.”

Pasternak went on to say that the residents of this building have “always lived their lives openly, celebrated their religion, and their history,” adding that what happened is a “major shock” to them.

‘Outrageous and vile act of antisemitism’: Chow

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is also condemning what occurred, describing it as an “outrageous and vile act of antisemitism.”

“This is a public supportive housing building for seniors. They deserve to live in peace without fear of being targeted for being Jewish,” she wrote in a post on X.

“Jewish Torontonians deserve to live in peace and safety. Thank you Councillor Pasternak for connecting residents to the police who are investigating.”

Jewish groups speak out

On Monday afternoon, the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation and Unapologetically Jewish held a joint news conference about the incidents.

Sara Lefton, UJA Federation’s’s chief development officer, shared that many of the seniors who live in the affected building are also Holocaust survivors.

“Some of these people faced horrific instances of antisemitism before they came to this country and coming here, they never, ever would have thought that they would have to deal with something like this again,” she said.

“It’s a horrible, horribly frightening experience for these elderly seniors who are living in this building and another instant of horrific antisemitism in our city. Jewish citizens and seniors are being intimidated and it’s clear that someone wants to scare them away from their identity and frighten them into not being publicly and proudly Jewish,” she said.

Lefton said what has occurred is something that cannot be stood for.

“We need the help of our non-Jewish allies and peers, of leaders in the city, and of our politicians to stand with us. These are vulnerable Jewish seniors, and for them to look on their front doors and know that someone has been in their personal space and taken down a mezuzah on their door is a terrifying thing, and something none of these people should have had to face,” she said.

The incident, Lefton noted, isn’t isolated.

The Jewish Security Network, an independent agency dedicated to the security needs of the Greater Toronto Jewish community, is working closely with Toronto police to determine who is responsible for this crime, which she said was perpetrated against more than 20 homes throughout the building.

Volunteers have since been helping install new mezuzahs on the doorways of the affected homes. Some tenants, however, have declined the offer out of fear, she said.

Matthew Taub, Unapologetically Jewish’s founder and director, said he received a call on Sunday informing him of the thefts.

“It was a gut punch. It’s one more event, every other day, in the city of Toronto, where Jews are harassed, affected, taken advantage of, and live in fear,” he said.

(These seniors) have lived an amazing life, struggled through times (and) to have to deal with something (like this) in their end stages, where they have to live in fear, you know, nobody should have to live that way, not in our city or any city,” he said.

Sara Lefton, Matthew Taub Sara Lefton, UJA Federation’s chief development officer, and Matthew Taub, of Unapologetically Jewish, held a joint news conference on Dec. 8.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has also issued a statement on the incident, saying that a mezuzah “isn’t just an object — for us, it’s a reminder of our faith, heritage, and identity.”

The organization added that mezuzahs are placed on the doorways of Jewish homes to “provide a sense of comfort and spiritual protection.”

“And yet the seniors at a building in North York were targeted in a place where they should’ve felt the safest. We’ve seen hateful conduct go from shouting in the streets to targeting Jews outside our homes to now in the hallways of our own buildings,” CIJA said.

“The time for words is over. Our political leaders – at all levels – must take action to protect the community.”

Toronto police’s Hate Crime Unit is investigating and anyone with further information is asked to call 416-808-3500 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.