Surrey RCMP are investigating after the home of a South Surrey rabbi was targeted over the weekend with eggs and anti-Semitic graffiti.
The vandalism happened around 6:30 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 13), at the home of Rabbi Falik Schtroks.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” Schtroks said Monday. “What is disappointing is that it is not shocking to me.”
Surrey RCMP released a photo of the suspect, who fled on foot, saying in a release that they are investigating an act of “mischief” that “may have been motivated by hate.”
Schtroks’ son, Zev, witnessed the attack, which occurred as he was leaving to meet up with his father.
The 30-year-old said he saw a stranger standing near the foot of the driveway, holding a carton of eggs and staring at the house. The stranger asked if the house was the Jewish temple, and when Zev asked why, said, “‘Because I need to know,’” Zev said.
“He’s like, ‘I’m God and I need to egg this place.’”
Not wanting a physical confrontation, Zev recorded the stranger’s actions with his phone, while contacting police at the same time.
Reflecting on the attack Tuesday, Zev said it is “very concerning” to think about what could have happened, and what may yet happen, given the latest unfolding of violence in Israel and Gaza since Oct. 7.
The violence has claimed the life of at least one family friend, he said. Ben Mizrachi was killed while attending to those injured when Hamas militants opened siege at a music festival.
“You feel it,” Zev said. “It’s like a part of you dies.
“You see exactly what the Hamas is doing… burning houses, taking people and doing crazy, disgusting things to them. If they instruct kids like him (the egging suspect) to do stuff like this, what’s going to stop him or somebody else to come and do something else?
The eggs and swastika represent that the stranger “approves of what’s going on,” Zev said.
He is grateful that his parents were not home.
White Rock Muslim Association chair Asad Syed said the local Muslim community is “deeply disturbed” by the attack.
“We strongly believe the Canadian values of multiculturalism and appreciate the openness and equality in our society, this act of violence on any one (is) not acceptable,” Syed said by email.
Syed said while his association has so far not been targeted, they do “have concerns.”
According to Statistics Canada crime reports, Jewish and Muslim Canadians are “the most frequent targets” of crimes against religious communities at 62 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively.
The B’nai Brith 2021 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents revealed six consecutive years of increasing antisemitic hate-crimes, with a total of 2,799 antisemitic hate crimes and incidents being reported.
READ ALSO: Educating public ‘exhausting,’ says White Rock Muslim Association past president
South Surrey resident Alex Banarer said the incident has sent ripples throughout the community.
It left his own family “very uncomfortable,” he said.
“I personally feel not safe.”
Banarer, 52, said he moved to Canada from Israel 14 years ago to get away from such conflict.
“I remember the Lebanon war and I was running with my boys to shelter, my wife was working in the hospital… I remember this like yesterday,” he said.
“It’s not only the Jewish community. It’s about the whole community here,” he continued. “It’s not safe for all of us.”
Zev said word of Friday’s incident led to nearly 100 people – “way more than expected” – attending an Oct. 15 ‘Pray for Israel’ event that had been planned at Beecher Place. It included some speeches and song, as well as a candlelighting “to mourn the lives that we lost.”
The diversity in the room “was beautiful,” he said.
The Surrey RCMP General Investigation Unit has assumed conduct of the investigation into the attack on the Schtroks’ home. BC Hate Crimes Unit has been notified, RCMP said.
The suspect is described as a 25-to 35-year-old man, slim to medium build, wearing a purple coat, white shirt, black Adidas sweatpants and brown shoes.
“We recognize that incidents of this nature impact the feeling of safety and security for members of our Jewish community,” said Surrey RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Vanessa Munn.
“Hate has no place in our city and our officers are working to identify the person responsible so that they can be held accountable.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or solvecrime.ca.
– with files from Tricia Weel
