Belleville heroes represent the very best of Canada
On Erev Yom Kippur, members of Belleville’s small but vibrant Jewish community gathered at Sons of Jacob Synagogue for Kol Nidre prayers. Outside, a gunman opened fire.
Constable Jeff Smith was shot and critically injured while protecting the people inside. And Constable Michael McCurdy responded to the attack, helping prevent what could have been a far greater tragedy.
These heroes represent the very best of Canada. When our community was in danger, they put themselves in harm’s way to protect others. Their bravery is an example for all Canadians of the courage and resolve required to confront this shared threat to our safety and way of life.
This week, we are asking our community to show them how much that courage means to us.
Also in this newsletter: Hillel students from across Canada take their fight for equal protection to Parliament Hill; what the federal government’s new progress report on combating antisemitism means for our community; and an invitation to join CIJA’s Legal Task Force for a special webinar, Standing Up for the Jewish Community: Three Years of Legal Action.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sukkot Sameach!
CIJA Team
Authorities have now confirmed that the Belleville attack was a hate crime deliberately targeting the Jewish community. Video released shows the attacker saying, “You’re going to die for the Jews,” before the shooting began.
Police officers across this country spend Shabbat and Jewish holidays outside our synagogues. They stand in front of our schools and community centres. This Yom Kippur was a devastating reminder of the danger they can face while protecting us.
Constable Smith remains in hospital, and our community continues to pray for his wellbeing.
Today, we are asking you to join us in thanking the officers who stood with our community when it mattered most. May Constable Smith have a refuah shlemah — a full and speedy recovery.
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Click here to send a message of gratitude for Constable Smith, which will be compiled into a book to present to the Constable and his family as a lasting expression of our community’s appreciation.
- Click here to donate to the Belleville Synagogue Attack Response Fund, which will provide support and recognition of the heroic Belleville Police Service, and assist Belleville’s Sons of Jacob to address security needs.
Days after the attack in Belleville, dozens of Jewish university students from across Canada came to Parliament Hill with a simple ask: equal protection for Jewish students.
CIJA worked closely with Hillels of Canada so that students could meet directly with government and opposition leaders and share firsthand accounts of the antisemitism they are experiencing on campus.
As Hillel Ontario CEO Jay Solomon said on Parliament Hill, Jewish students are not asking for special treatment. They are asking to be able to learn, participate in campus life and belong fully and safely without having to hide who they are.
CIJA CEO Noah Shack reinforced that message: universities already have policies to keep students safe. Those rules must be enforced, perpetrators must face consequences, and governments must hold institutions accountable when they fail to do so.
This week, the federal government released its progress report on commitments to combat antisemitism, underscoring the threat it poses to Canada’s national security, social cohesion and democratic values.
Importantly, the government affirmed what our community knows all too well: antisemitism includes antizionism. And the government called on institutions across Canada to recognize this and address it.
The report highlights two milestones—the significant investment in the Canada Community Security Program and passage of the Combatting Hate Act—and sets out three pillars for action. But commitments only matter if they are followed by concrete action and meaningful implementation.
CIJA will continue to advocate fiercely for urgent, concrete steps necessary to safeguard our community.
As we mark three years since October 7, hear how CIJA’s Legal Task Force has responded to the rise in antisemitism across Canada. What has the LTF been doing, whom has it helped, and what could its legal cases mean for the wider community?
The first webinar in this two-part series will look at the LTF’s work over the past three years, with a closer focus on K–12 schools and universities. You’ll also learn how to seek assistance or volunteer.
Click here for more information.