August 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\nMontreal police spokesperson Rapha\u00ebl Bergeron told the National Post that someone was seen leaving the premises shortly after the fire began. The investigation has been transferred to the police arson squad, though authorities have not yet determined a motive.<\/p>\n
N\u00f6am served Mediterranean, Italian and international dishes and was considered a popular destination among members of Montreal\u2019s Jewish community.<\/p>\n
Canadian MP Anthony Housefather called the incident \u201ca horrific tragedy\u201d for the restaurant\u2019s owners, who he said had invested heavily in the business, as well as for its employees, customers and the surrounding community.<\/p>\n
Housefather said the fire \u201cmust be investigated as a hate crime.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am absolutely disgusted to see what appears to be an arson attack on a local kosher restaurant overnight,\u201d he wrote on X. \u201cThis attack on a Jewish-owned business must be investigated as a hate crime, and those involved in this criminal act must be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n
Footage of the blaze was shared online by Montreal resident and Tel Aviv Institute senior fellow Hen Mazzig. He said police were investigating a possible suspect who was seen walking away from the scene.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t say for sure the motive was antisemitic yet, but the signs certainly suggest it,\u201d Mazzig wrote.<\/p>\n
Montreal newspaper columnist and city councillor Mike Cohen described the incident as what \u201ccan only be described as a major hate crime,\u201d saying the restaurant had been \u201cburnt to the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another Montreal city councillor, Leslie Roberts, wrote: \u201cArson is a crime. Antisemitism is a hate crime.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Israeli Consulate in Montreal said it was following the incident \u201cwith great concern\u201d and described the fire as \u201ca direct attack on a Jewish-owned business.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe call on the authorities for a quick and serious investigation, and prosecution of those responsible,\u201d the consulate said.<\/p>\n
Quebec Sen. Leo Housakos called the suspected arson \u201cdeeply disturbing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the investigation is ongoing, it\u2019s no wonder so many Jews feel increasingly unsafe in the very city they helped build,\u201d he wrote. \u201cAntisemitism has indeed found a home in Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller also called for the incident to be investigated as a hate crime.<\/p>\n
Police have not publicly established that antisemitism was the motive, and no arrests have been announced.<\/p>\n