Police raid Montreal synagogues during Yom Kippur prayers

He said that everyone in the synagogue, Beth Chabad Cote St. Luc, was wearing a mask and social distancing.

By World Israel News Staff

Police reportedly raided at least eight Montreal synagogues during Yom Kippur services although congregants were following all health guidelines such as wearing masks and social distancing, according to the Voz Iz Neis? site.

Montreal resident Berel Solomon released a video shortly after Yom Kippur. He said his synagogue was one of those raided.

He said that everyone in the synagogue, Beth Chabad Cote St. Luc, was wearing a mask and social distancing. They were following all the government regulations related to Covid-19.

Yet, he said his synagogue and at least seven others were “unfairly targeted” by police.

“It has been since the beginning of this epidemic that the Jewish community has experienced unprecedented harassment from the media and from the police,” Solomon said.

“You can go to a bar and you guys could go to all kinds of parties and we can also riot in the streets, but when it comes to our synagogue we are disbanded with absolutely no explanation whatsoever,” he said.

“It is not right and it must end right away,” he said.

Solomon said that the police entered without a warrant and forced the congregants out into the street. “They then chased us with cop cars and forced us to leave the area,” he said.

“It is totally unacceptable that my synagogue, Beth Chabad Cote St. Luc, has been unfairly targeted yet again,” he said.

The incident happened toward the end of the fast day.

There have been issues in the U.S. as well where it appears that Orthodox Jews have been unfairly singled out during the pandemic.

In April, for example, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that he had a “message to the Jewish community,” namely that he had instructed the NYPD to “summons or even arrest those” who violate social distancing regulations.

Orthodox Jews expressed their anger at what they saw as public discrimination.

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 1500 traditional rabbis, issued a statement: “Earlier that same day, masses of New Yorkers ignored social distancing rules as crowds came out to watch the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds flyover, and the mayor had no comment.”