SASKATOON - An attack against a Prairie synagogue has raised concern over a possible connection between the deepening crisis in the Middle East and what may be a surge of anti-Semitism in Canada.
The blaze erupted late Friday night, destroying the synagogue's library and several historic books, including some that were more than 100 years old.
An object with inflammable liquid was ignited and thrown through a basement window, police said.
$100,000 worth of books are estimated to have been lost in the fire. Smoke and water damage to the rest of the building may cost at least $30,000 to repair.
Robert Calder, who has lived across from the city's only synagogue for 12 years, said it's scary to see anti-Semitism so close to home:
"There's always been a degree of anti-Semitism in our society," he said. "And I think we'd be foolish to think not, but we've had very little sign of that to my knowledge in Saskatoon. So it's a little disturbing to see that now."
Grant Scharfstein, who has come to the Agudas Israel Synagogue to pray for the past 25 years, said he's concerned that such crimes will continue.
"We're worried about why this happened and who did it, and obviously trepidation," he said. "Will it happen again? One never knows. "
The fire in Saskatoon is just the latest in a string of what seems to be anti-Semitic incidents in Canada.
On March 11, someone broke into a synagogue in downtown Toronto and set it on fire. Then on April 3, people spray-painted anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian graffiti on a synagogue in Ottawa.