A popular kosher restaurant in Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough was left devastated after a suspicious two-alarm fire tore through the building in the early hours of Saturday morning. The blaze at Nöam restaurant on Décarie Boulevard broke out at approximately 3:15 a.m., according to Montreal police spokesperson Raphael Bergeron, who confirmed that an individual was seen on the premises as the fire began. Surveillance footage obtained by CBC News reportedly shows a man in a white T-shirt and dark pants appearing to start the fire before fleeing the scene, and investigators say they are working to verify the video as part of an active investigation. No injuries were reported, though the building sustained considerable damage.

The attack has sent shockwaves through Montreal's Jewish community, which has already been grappling with a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents. Building owner Howard Szalavetz, who has operated out of the property for four decades, said he raced to the scene in tears after receiving a middle-of-the-night phone call about the fire, calling the loss deeply personal given the building's history. "Given the fact that it was a kosher restaurant, I find it hard to believe it wasn't antisemitism," Szalavetz said, voicing a fear echoed by Jewish advocacy group B'nai Brith Canada, which has called on police to treat the incident with urgency and keep the community informed throughout the investigation.

Politicians moved quickly to condemn the attack, with Liberal MP Anthony Housefather demanding the fire be investigated and prosecuted as a hate crime, and local MNA Elisabeth Prass, a frequent patron of the restaurant, saying she felt compelled to visit the site and speak with the owners directly. Borough Mayor Stéphanie Valenzuela also weighed in, emphasizing that acts of violence and intimidation have no place in the community and confirming that local officials are in close contact with investigators. As the SPVM continues reviewing surveillance evidence, the destruction of Nöam stands as the latest flashpoint in a broader pattern of hostility targeting Montreal's Jewish community, with residents and leaders alike calling for swift accountability.