Jesse Kline: Jew hate is a growing Canadian pastime. This is the result

Bullet holes are be seen on the stained glass of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont., after a shooting that left a police officer injured on Sept. 20. Photo by Courtesy of Doug Lobel

Article content

It would appear as though the antisemites have finally succeeded at preventing Jewish-Canadians from gathering to worship in peace, after shots were fired outside an Ontario synagogue during Yom Kippur services on Sunday evening. I’d say this should serve as a wake-up call, but how many wake-up calls does one country need?

Article content

The incident occurred outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont. Its president, Norman Weddum, told National Post that he was ushering people into the sanctuary at around 7 p.m. when he heard the gunfire, prompting congregants to seek cover on the floor. Officials estimate that between 20 and 30 shots were fired. Images from the scene show numerous bullet holes piercing the synagogue’s stained-glass windows.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Police allege that 29-year-old Sean Ward showed up to the site with a rifle and was involved in a shootout with police that left an officer wounded and the suspect in life-threatening condition. While police won’t say whether the synagogue was the target, it’s not hard to connect the dots, as the last three years have seen a rash of violence targeting Jewish schools, houses of worship, businesses and community institutions.

Article content

Article content

Yet this represents a significant escalation, as previous attacks against synagogues have taken place late at night, when few people, if any, were inside. The only reason to hit a synagogue on Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days of the year, would be because the perpetrator knew there were lots of people inside.

Article content

Such an attack sends the message that Jews are not safe anywhere in the country. While most of the antisemitic violence has taken place in large cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Belleville, which is located 190 kilometres east of Toronto, is a city of about 55,000 with a small Jewish population: Sons of Jacob is the only synagogue in the area and has just 60 members, according to its website.

Article content

Article content

While residents of the normally peaceful bedroom community were rightly shocked by the violence, it’s not like Canadians weren’t warned. Half a year ago, the federal government’s Integrated Threat Assessment Centre said that there was a “realistic possibility” of an attack against the Canadian Jewish community within the next six months.

Article content

Article content

And earlier this month, Israel’s National Security Council warned about an increased risk of terror attacks in the diaspora during the High Holidays and the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, citing ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and “incitement campaigns” that have led to “a steep increase in terrorist factions’ motivation to attack Israeli and Jewish targets around the world.”

Article content

Law-enforcement officials in major cities appeared to heed these warnings. Montreal police said they would be closely monitoring events during the High Holidays, while in Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow and her police chief held a news conference outlining the steps the department would take to keep Torontonians safe, including placing officers, both uniformed and undercover, in “strategic areas.”