The Jewish community in Ottawa is in shock following a violent stabbing incident that left a woman in her 70s injured inside a Loblaws grocery store known for its kosher food section, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.
The attack occurred Wednesday afternoon at the store located at the corner of Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue.
According to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), the woman entered the store with a friend around 1:35 p.m. when she was approached and stabbed by a man. Officers arrested the suspect at the scene “without incident,” while store staff provided immediate aid to the victim. She was transported to hospital and released later that day.
On Thursday, OPS confirmed that a 71-year-old man appeared in court to face charges of aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon. The police have not released the suspect’s name and stated that the victim and attacker were not previously acquainted.
OPS Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson said the force’s hate and bias crime unit is assisting in the investigation of what she described as an “unprovoked attack.” She acknowledged the community’s concerns, stating, “I can certainly appreciate that the members of the community are assuming the worst. As soon as we have information that can be shared [as to whether] this is a matter of a targeted attack, we will do so.”
The Jewish Federation of Ottawa expressed relief that the victim, described as a “cherished member of the community,” is recovering.
In a statement, the Federation noted, “The Ottawa Police Service has been very supportive, and at this time there is no indication of increased risk to Jewish facilities or institutions.” The organization added that it is “strengthening community infrastructure” and will be reaching out to Loblaws “to begin discussions on ways to ensure Jewish community members feel safe while shopping.”
“Our thoughts and heartfelt wishes are with the victim and their loved ones, and we have reached out to the family to offer support. We invite you to join us in sending them refuah shlema, prayers for strength and healing,” the Federation said.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) also issued a statement, calling the incident “deeply troubling.”
CIJA noted that the attack occurred “inside an Ottawa grocery store that houses the city’s most well-known kosher food section and has been the repeated target of anti-Israel protests.”
Josh Landau, CIJA’s director of government affairs for Ontario, emphasized the broader climate of hostility: “While the motivation behind this unprovoked assault has not yet been determined, we cannot ignore the broader context in Ottawa. Anti-Jewish hate, antisemitism, and violence have been normalized since the abhorrent attack on October 7. Jewish institutions, businesses, and community members have been increasingly singled out by extremists.”
The assault in Ottawa comes amid a sharp rise in acts of antisemitism in Canada since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.
In June, the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa was defaced with red paint and the words "feed me".
A lawyer formerly employed by the City of Ottawa was later dismissed after being charged in connection with the vandalism.
Data released at the end of July by Statistics Canada reveal that hate crimes targeting Canadian Jews remained alarmingly high in 2024, with 920 police-reported incidents—making Jews the most targeted religious group in the country.
Jews were found to be 25 times more likely to be the victims of a hate crime than other Canadian citizens.
The number of overall antisemitism hate crimes was down slightly from their high in 2023, when they reached 959. However, they remain well above the figures for 2022, when 527 antisemitic hate crimes were reported.