Jewish Woman In Her 70s Stabbed In Ottawa Grocery Store In Suspected Hate Crime

<p>A Jewish woman in her 70s was stabbed inside a grocery store in Ottawa in what police and Jewish organisations are treating as a suspected hate crime. The attack, which took place at a Loblaws supermarket on Wednesday, has left the community shaken and raised fresh concerns over rising antisemitism in Canada.</p>
<h2><strong>Jewish Woman In Her 70s Stabbed In Ottawa</strong></h2>
<p>According to police, the attack occurred around 1:35 p.m. when the victim entered the store with a friend. She was approached by a man who stabbed her, leaving her with serious injuries. The woman was rushed to the hospital and has since been released.</p>
<h2><strong>Community Reaction</strong></h2>
<p>The Jewish Federation of Ottawa said on Facebook Thursday that it was &ldquo;deeply shaken&rdquo; by the stabbing and was &ldquo;relieved to know that the victim, a cherished member of our community, is recovering.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The group added, <em>&ldquo;At this time, there is no indication of increased risk to Jewish facilities or institutions,&rdquo;</em> while praising law enforcement&rsquo;s quick response. The Federation also confirmed that it is strengthening community security infrastructure.</p>
<h2><strong>The Suspect and Charges</strong></h2>
<p>Police said a 71-year-old man has been charged with aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon. The investigation is being supported by the Hate and Bias Crimes Unit.</p>
<p>While police did not publicly release his name, B&rsquo;nai Brith Canada and the <em>Ottawa Citizen</em> identified the suspect as Joseph Rooke of Cornwall, Ontario.</p>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>71-year-old man charged after Jewish woman stabbed at Ottawa Loblaws <a href=”https://t.co/qlMngolh2B”>https://t.co/qlMngolh2B</a></p>
&mdash; CTV Ottawa (@ctvottawa) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ctvottawa/status/1961232451520405626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>August 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Online Footprint of Hate</strong></h2>
<p>A Facebook page matching Rooke&rsquo;s details contained several antisemitic and anti-religious posts. These included attacks on Jews and Israel, with claims that the &ldquo;biblically contrived&rdquo; Jewish state was committing atrocities in Gaza and that Jews &ldquo;have become insidious in government, businesses, media conglomerates and educational institutions.&rdquo;</p>
<h2><strong>Rising Antisemitism in Canada</strong></h2>
<p>Canada has seen a significant surge in antisemitism since the war in Gaza began following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. Earlier this year, B&rsquo;nai Brith Canada reported that antisemitic incidents in the country had nearly doubled since then.</p>
<p>&ldquo;For months, B&rsquo;nai Brith Canada has warned Canadian leaders of the dangers of allowing hate to foment unchecked on our streets and online platforms,&rdquo; the organization said Friday on X. &ldquo;Sadly, our warnings have gone unheeded.&rdquo;</p>
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