In the early morning, a fire at The Leo Baeck Day School on Arlington Avenue caused significant damage to a shed on the property, as well as the back of the school building itself.

We are relieved that no one was injured and the fire was contained by first responders. We extend our sympathy and solidarity to the Leo Baeck community in the wake of this terrible incident.

UJA is supporting our partners at Leo Baeck, including coordinating with Toronto Police to assist their ongoing investigation. Moments ago, Toronto Police provided an update to the public on the details of this incident, noting:

• The fire originated in "an exterior storage shed being used by an under-housed individual for shelter";

• The cause of the fire is undetermined with "no suspicious circumstances at the scene"; and

• The Hate Crime Unit is involved and there is currently "no evidence that this incident was motivated by hate".

This comes in the wake of a fire that severely damaged a school bus located in a retail parking lot near Bathurst and Wilson. We await further details as police continue to investigate both incidents.

We will continue to work closely with local and national law enforcement to share the unique security needs and concerns of our community. Information and misinformation can travel quickly online at a time of heightened concern. We remind community members of the importance of relying on trustworthy and verified sources when it comes to our collective security.

In an environment of rising antisemitism, this is a time to exercise healthy vigilance. If you see something, please say something by calling police. In an emergency, always call 911. When safe, please call UJA Community Security at 416-635-5600 so our team can coordinate with law enforcement and security officials at more than 100 Jewish institutions across the GTA.

In moments when there is a need to alert our community of critical security information, we will do so as rapidly as possible – with this email subscriber list being our foremost tool. We invite you to forward this email to your family and friends and encourage them to sign up here for updates. 

Sincerely,

UJA Community Security