VANCOUVER — Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt says the congregation at Vancouver’s Schara Tzedeck Synagogue “showed resilience” after an arson attack charred the temple’s doors last month.
“People showed solidarity. They supported us emotionally,” Rosenblatt said at a press conference outside the synagogue on Tuesday after police released videos of a suspect.
He said the synagogue hosted the largest crowd ever seen after the arson attack nearly four weeks ago.
Police say they released the videos in hopes that someone would recognize the suspect.
One of those videos shows a man wearing a dark jacket, a light-colored baseball cap and a medical mask approaching the steps of the synagogue on May 30 at 9:41 p.m.
The man carries a transparent bottle containing a liquid, the cap of which he unscrews before disappearing from the frame.
Less than a minute later, there is a bright “flash” and the video shows the man quickly descending the stairs of the synagogue and onto the street.
A second video shows the main entrance from a different angle. Orange flames shoot out, then ignite as the man walks away.
A police statement said investigators are seeking to speak with anyone who may recognize the suspect in the video, as well as the driver of a tan or silver minivan who was seen in the area at the time of the fire.
Last month, Mr. Rosenblatt claimed that people were inside the synagogue after services that evening when they heard a “bang” outside.
He said it was a passerby who alerted them that the building was on fire, before a member of the congregation put out the flames with his jacket.
Mr. Rosenblatt is now asking people with information about the suspect to come forward in order to restore a sense of security.
He said the suspect had a “very peculiar way of walking,” which he said could help identify him.
“One of the things I can say about the experience of living in Vancouver is that it is a city that prides itself on law and order. This act is an act against the civility of our city. We need your help,” insisted Mr. Rosenblatt, who immigrated from the United States.
He called the act “a crime against the entire city.”
He added that members of the Jewish community were grateful for the support received from those who offered to help, including volunteering to set up community surveillance outside the synagogue throughout the night.
Mr. Rosenblatt reported that some people who did not know how to help brought traditional Jewish bread.
“I hope that these same people who didn’t know what to do and wanted to bring us food will provide us with information,” he said.
Nono Shen, The Canadian Press
