There was the “joke” a senior Toronto Police officer made one day to then One Homicide Chief, Hank Idsinga. You know, the one about a kosher bbq being a “Jew-Q.” As in, thinking that the idea of burning Jews during the Holocaust in Europe - was funny. The jokester told Idsinga it was really funny. And that was when Hank Idsinga began to see the deep antisemitism among police leadership, and others. And there was more. Much more.
Idsinga’s recently published book: “The High Road: Confessions of a Homicide Cop”, was released in early May and is prompting discussion about the conduct of the Toronto Police Force, particularly since October 7. Toronto has become a dangerous city for Jews to live in. Hostility toward Jewish people is overt, everywhere and inescapable. It was clear from October 7 that something was very wrong with how Toronto police were dealing with the outburst of Jew-hatred. The antisemites were given free rein. Police spoke about constitutional rights and other high-minded issues, which actually had nothing to do with the illegal conduct proliferating on Toronto streets. In fact, the cops protected the “protesters”, insisting they were not breaking laws and that their conduct was “peaceful.” Well, they were breaking many laws, and their conduct was anything but peaceful. Almost three years later, Toronto is unrecognizable and considered to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world in which to live today, as a Jew. This podcast episode is a touch longer than our usual, because there is so much important information to be shared.
We focus on Hank Idsinga, his personal story and how that influenced his career, particularly in the later years. And we get into the way in which Toronto Police have handled overt and often violent antisemitism since October 7. Their conduct is indefensible. Inexplicable. And I have been writing and podcasting about this tirelessly. Only now, as attacks on Jews have become more frequent and violent - attracting international attention - has the Toronto Police Service even acknowledged that there may be, you know, a problem.
I have provided time stamps for three sections of the podcast, so you can jump around or skip. But I urge you to listen to them all. They build on and reinforce one another. And the story of what is going down in Toronto is just one extreme example of what we are seeing in many cities around the world. This will not just “go away”.
Thanks to Andrea Marcus, a friend, proud lifelong Torontonian, brilliant artist, and sponsor of this episode of State of Tel Aviv and Beyond. Like so many Canadians, Andrea is devastated by what has happened to Canada and Toronto, particularly in recent years. They are unrecognizable.
If you would like to be like Andrea and support our work by sponsoring an episode or two, please contact me directly. vivian@stateoftelaviv.com
Time Stamps:
Part I - Introduction to Hank Idsinga and the Toronto Police Force 00-34:54
Part II - Toronto Police and Jews: Open Contempt at a Recent Press Conference 34:55-37:41
Part III - Deep Dive into Post October 7 Toronto Police Conduct 37:42-end
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Hank Idsinga was a member of the Toronto Police Services for thirty years, leading the country’s top homicide unit for five years. Having served as Detective Sergeant and, later, Inspector in charge of Toronto’s Homicide Squad, he has policed just about every kind of case you can imagine, and has stared down some of the hardest criminals the city has ever seen. Idsinga has received numerous awards from the Ontario Homicide Investigator’s Association, and has twice been recognized by Toronto Life magazine as one of Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People. Additionally, he is a regular presenter at policing conferences, including the FBI National Academy Associates Conference and the Ontario Homicide Investigators Conference, among others. Recently retired and now a crime commentary fixture on the Corus radio network (nationally) and Global Television, as well as American crime series in production, Idsinga speaks widely about policing in the wake of a highly decorated career.
From decorated homicide detective Hank Idsinga comes The High Road—a raw, riveting true crime memoir from the man who helped take down one of Canada’s most notorious serial killers.
Hank Idsinga knew from the age of ten that he wanted to solve murders—especially after learning his grandfather had been executed by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Over a thirty-year career with Toronto Police Services, Idsinga rose through the ranks to lead the country’s top homicide unit. From street crime to serial killers, he saw it all—and now, for the first time, he tells the story in his own voice.
Written in a hard-boiled but deeply human tone, The High Road chronicles the highs and horrors of life on the homicide beat. Idsinga recounts some of Toronto’s most gripping cases that caught the attention of the nation, including the Boxing Day shooting of Jane Creba, the Yonge Street shootouts, and—most infamously—the Bruce McArthur serial killer investigation. With equal parts warmth, candor, and gravity, he offers rare insight into how detectives do their work, how justice is served, and how the toll of the job is carried quietly and constantly.
Far from glorifying violence, Idsinga focuses on the people at the heart of each case: the victims, the families, and the fellow officers who became like family over decades of service. Many of those families remain in touch with him today, a testament to his character and compassion.
With the rise of true crime podcasts and docuseries, audiences are hungry for authentic, unfiltered voices—and The High Road delivers. This isn’t just a book about catching killers. It’s about the moral weight of justice, the value of empathy, and the complicated humanity on both sides of the badge.
Podcast Notes
In the podcast I refer often to how entrenched antisemitism is in Canada and how obvious that has become since October 7. Below are links to two articles published in Toronto media regarding Idsinga’s allegations regarding antisemitism on the police force.
Following are links to podcasts and written articles by me, on the State of Tel Aviv website and in other publications. This is just a sampling of the work I have done on antisemitism in Canada, focusing on Toronto, since October 7.
And there’s much more.
