Canadian Jews Move to U.S. Amid Rising Antisemitism

Celebrities often threaten to move from the United States to Canada when they disagree with the outcome of an election. But now, Canadian Jews are starting to move to the United States to escape growing antisemitism, “National Review” reported.

Antisemitic incidents in Canada increased by nearly 125 percent from 2022 to 2024, according to B’nai Brith Canada. Canada’s Jews make up 0.9 percent of the population but are the victims of 70 percent of religious hate crimes. There have been weekly anti-Israel protests nationwide since Oct. 7, 2023, often featuring praise for Hamas, calls for intifada and celebrations of Islamist “resistance.”

Some of these rallies also have seen Nazi salutes; chants of “death to Jews,” “explode the head of Zionists” and calls for a “final solution”; protesters dressing up as Hamas militants; the burning in effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Israeli and Canadian flags; and the flying of Hamas, Hezbollah and Taliban flags. Meanwhile, an anti-Israel protest against a NATO summit saw demonstrators torch cars and smash the windows of buildings.

Multiple shots have been fired at Canadian Jewish schools, several synagogues have been firebombed and vandalized and Jewish businesses have been hit with property damage and boycott campaigns. A coordinated bomb threat has targeted more than 100 Canadian Jewish institutions, and most recently, the national Holocaust memorial in Ottawa was desecrated. According to a survey conducted by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, 82 percent of Canadian Jews feel less safe in their country post–October 7.

Dahlia Kurtz, a Jewish radio host who left legacy media to become an independent journalist focused on antisemitism after October 7, said threats to her and her family’s safety have made continuing to live in Canada untenable.

“I get death threats, I get rape threats,” she said. “Nazis in Canada are criminally harassing me.  I’ve had people tell me that the gas chamber is waiting. I’ve had people show me images of me burning to death, I’ve had people send me my address and tell me they know where to find me. And I need to be smart about my safety. I can’t be reckless with it. I already have the police refusing to protect me. So it’s not safe for me to be in Canada.”

Despite its own problems with antisemitism, many Canadian Jews feel safer in the United States.

–Alan Goforth