Get it Straight: We are Not Shattered. We are Infuriated with all Levels of Government...

This title is, believe it or not, directed at B'nai Brith Canada. One of their spokespeople sent out a communiqué following the vicious arson attack on Noam, Montreal's most popular (by far) kosher restaurant on Friday night.

The second paragraph begins with: "The community is shaken". Stop it. Do not make us sound like frightened children cowering in a corner. Jewish communities around the world are not 'shaken' by antisemitic attacks. Shaken means we are unable to function. In fact, the exact opposite is true.

We are angry. We are infuriated with our governments at every level spewing empty, useless words when such attacks happens, with zero follow-up until the next attack when they repeat the same words.

Find those who are behind the antisemitism, not only the low hanging fruit throwing matches, and punish them all to the fullest extent of the law. Do something besides talking.

Next...

Although there is video footage of someone pouring an accelerant around the front of the building, whether or not it is an antisemitic incident is still unknown. However, given the worldwide Jew hating going on, our guess is that it was indeed another targeted antisemitic attack.

We will also take umbrage with another government official who said that "someone with anger in their heart came last night and set a business on fire." While that may be true, from what we have seen and heard lately, very serious antisemitic groups are paying kids a few thousand dollars to do what just happened to Noam.

Anger in their heart? Spare us.

Our very strong suspicion is that this was a paid hit job and that someone was hired for a few thousand dollars to light the match. This doesn't look like a spontaneous act of anger. If our suspicion is correct, it was a calculated, deliberate act.

Let's wait and see what the police come up with, if anything. Nothing surprises us any more. They could, and most likely will say that the person who set the fire had their face covered and they were unable to be identified. However, they had to have a car and if it was parked on any of the side streets behind the restaurant, somebody has something on their videos.

And finally, we are very sad that the best kosher place in Montreal will now be closed for an indefinite period of time while the owners sort out the insurance and begin the daunting task of rebuilding.

We are also sad because the owners and staff of Noam were amazing, working in a small place always packed to the rafters, crazy noisy. All of those people are now out of a job.

And Montrealer's, who have a sophisticated palate and know a great place when they find it, will have to wait quite a while until one of the gems of our city, Noam is up and running again.

We'll talk...