A teenager responsible for shooting at two synagogues in the Toronto area in March was sentenced Tuesday to two years in custody followed by one year of community supervision, the harshest punishment permitted for his offenses under Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act, JNS reported, citing Jewish organizations.
The offender, who was 17 when the attacks occurred, pleaded guilty to firearms-related offenses. The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center identified him only as “J.B." because Canadian law prohibits the publication of his identity.
The shootings took place several hours apart. Shortly before midnight on March 6, shots were fired at Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Vaughan, Ontario. Shortly after midnight on March 7, Shaarei Shomayim, another Modern Orthodox congregation in Toronto, was targeted.
Police said multiple bullets struck the entrances of both synagogues, causing significant property damage. No injuries were reported.
“Both synagogues sustained extensive damage, and the incidents caused widespread fear and distress throughout Canada’s Jewish community," the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center stated.
During sentencing, Ontario Court of Justice Judge Michael Alexander Townsend characterized the attacks as “planned, calculated and brazen," according to the organization.
The judge also observed that it was only through “good luck and good fortune" that nobody was injured.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center said court records established that the teenager had received payment to carry out the shootings. However, investigators have not identified the individuals who financed or directed the attacks, nor established their reasons for targeting the Jewish institutions.
“The sentencing therefore leaves unresolved the possibility that others involved in orchestrating the violence may pose an ongoing threat to Jewish institutions," the organization warned.
The investigation has resulted in several arrests. Police charged an 18-year-old suspect on May 6, followed by the arrest of a 17-year-old from Waterloo, Ontario, on May 27 in connection with both synagogue shootings.
A third suspect, a 23-year-old man from Barrie, Ontario, was arrested in August. At that time, police said they were no longer seeking additional suspects in connection with the shootings, although the investigation remained active.
In June, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw connected the synagogue shootings and other violent incidents, including an attack on the US Consulate in Toronto, to criminal-for-hire operations that recruit young people to commit attacks in exchange for money.
Demkiw explained that the networks used encrypted messaging applications to contact recruits and required them to record their attacks as proof before receiving payment.
Jewish organizations welcomed the sentence while emphasizing that prosecuting the individuals who physically carried out the shootings was insufficient.
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the advocacy organization of Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA, issued a joint statement calling for the organizers and financiers of the attacks to be brought to justice.
“These were not just buildings that came under fire. They were places where families gather, children learn and generations of Jewish Canadians have come together to practice their faith," the organizations said.
They stressed that the “shootings did not happen in isolation."
According to the organizations, the incidents followed nearly three years of “escalating antisemitism, intimidation, harassment and violence" against Jewish Canadians, including hostile demonstrations in Jewish neighborhoods and attacks targeting synagogues, schools and community facilities.
“What began as intimidation has, in the most disturbing cases, escalated to gunfire directed at places of worship and schools," they stated. “Today’s sentence sends an important message that this violence carries serious consequences. But it cannot be where accountability ends."
B’nai Brith Canada similarly warned that “this case underscores the severe threats facing Jewish Canadians."
The organization urged Canadian authorities to ensure that Jewish institutions have access to armed security, whether provided by law enforcement or private security personnel.
“Our government must take a firm and proactive posture against extremism," B’nai Brith Canada stated. “Although the sentence handed down today conveys a strong message, it is imperative that those orchestrating these attacks on Jewish institutions be identified and held accountable."
The March shootings were part of a broader series of attacks against Jewish institutions and businesses across Toronto and its surrounding communities.
Several days earlier, gunfire struck Temple Emanu-El in North York while congregants were attending Purim celebrations. The building sustained damage, but nobody was injured.
In April, a man allegedly attempted to enter an Orthodox synagogue forcibly in Thornhill, Ontario, assaulting an individual before fleeing.
The following day, a Judaica store in Toronto was targeted when someone threw a rock through its window, marking the third reported attack against the business.
In July, two branches of a Jewish-owned bakery in Toronto were attacked within approximately an hour of each other.
Another incident occurred in October, when Toronto police arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of setting fire to Israeli flags displayed outside a Christian church on October 7, the third anniversary of the Hamas massacre in Israel.
According to Toronto Police Service figures, 231 hate crimes were recorded across the city in 2025, representing a 50% decrease from the previous year.
Despite the overall decline, Jewish residents continued to account for a disproportionate share of religiously motivated offenses.
Of the 99 hate crimes classified as religiously motivated, 82% targeted Jews, even though the Jewish community represents less than 3% of Toronto's population.