Open this photo in gallery:
Police work the scene of a Sunday evening shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont. Since 2020, Canada has seen a documented rise in hate incidents.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
The shooting Sunday at the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ont., represents a dramatic escalation of attacks targeting Jewish institutions in Canada, one that has left many in the community shaken and has led advocates to call on authorities to tackle the issue.
Over the past three years, more than two dozen incidents of gunfire, arson, window-breaking and other types of vandalism have happened at synagogues, Jewish schools and institutions across Canada, according to a tally by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. These previous attacks have largely resulted in property damage rather than injury.
But Sunday’s attack, in which the suspected gunman was fatally injured and a police officer was left in critical condition, had the potential to be much worse. Witnesses to the incident said many more people could have been killed or injured if police had not stopped the attacker before he could gain entry to the synagogue.
“We’ve seen synagogues and schools subjected to firebombings and shootings before this. But typically those have taken place under cover of darkness in the middle of the night, intended to intimidate and sow terror,” said Noah Shack, chief executive officer of CIJA, a Jewish advocacy organization.
“This was fundamentally different in that the gunman chose to target the synagogue at the time of peak attendance, with the objective of murdering as many Jewish people inside that building as possible.”
Suspect in Belleville synagogue shooting was removed from military service, sources say
The attack took place Sunday night, on the eve of Yom Kippur, and targeted the congregation in the Eastern Ontario city of Belleville. About 25 people were inside the synagogue at the time; no one inside the building was injured.
The suspected gunman was prevented from gaining entry to the synagogue by a Belleville police officer, Constable Jeff Smith, who was stationed outside.
Constable Smith and other officers engaged the attacker in a gunfight that saw approximately 30 shots fired, with bullets striking the synagogue windows as well as nearby vehicles and homes. Constable Smith suffered serious injuries and is being treated in hospital.
The suspected gunman, Sean Ward, a former member of the Canadian Forces, died in hospital Monday night.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking at the United Nations in New York, was asked whether he’s concerned about extremist views in the military. He declined to answer that question, but expressed gratitude for what he described as the heroic actions of Constable Smith and other police officers.
“We stand against all manifestations of hate against communities and condemn this violence, and no effort will be spared from the federal government perspective,” Mr. Carney said.
Canada has seen a documented rise in hate incidents since 2020. According to Statistics Canada, 70 per cent of the religiously targeted hate crimes logged in 2024 targeted the Jewish community.
Attack against Canadian Jewish community a ‘realistic possibility,’ federal report warns
Mr. Shack, who was in Belleville Tuesday, said the rise in incidents targeting the Jewish community in recent years must be understood as a threat to Canada’s national security.
“It underscores the fact that what my community is facing are not a series of isolated hate incidents, but a fundamental threat to our safety and security, and to Canada’s national security and public safety. And it’s important that our agencies and multiple levels of government start orienting themselves to that reality,” Mr. Shack said.
“This isn’t about a small number of people with hate in their hearts. This is increasingly a violent threat targeting neighbourhoods across this country.”
Open this photo in gallery:
An online fundraiser created by some members of the Jewish community has raised more than $240,000 by Tuesday evening for Constable Smith’s recovery.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
Some members of the Jewish community have launched a fundraiser on the GoFundMe website to assist Constable Smith and his family with what may potentially be a long and difficult recovery.
“When members of a vulnerable community needed protection, he put himself in harm’s way,“ the organizers wrote. “We will not forget what he did outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue.”
The campaign had raised more than $240,000 by Tuesday evening.
Norm Weddum, president of the Sons of Jacob synagogue, said the members of the congregation who witnessed the shootout are recovering from the traumatic incident. He said the community expects to be able to offer services at the synagogue again relatively soon.
“We will carry on. We will resume programming and we will rise up from the ashes,” Mr. Weddum said.
Planning for the Yom Kippur services at Sons of Jacob began more than a month ago. A rabbi from Israel was invited to lead prayers. In an online post, the synagogue said that at a time when communities across Canada were feeling the effects of rising antisemitism, it was more important than ever to express solidarity with all Jewish people. It announced it had removed the high holiday service fee for non-members in order to maintain a “barrier free open door policy.”
Shari Thorley, a long-time member of the congregation, said she would never have imagined such a violent attack would happen in Belleville. She was unable to attend the service Sunday, but had spoken with some who were present. She said on the one hand she wished she was there so she could support the others, but at the same time she feels a bit shaken.
“I’ve always been very open about being Jewish. And I said to my husband about five minutes ago, ‘I’m not so sure I want to be that open about it any more,’ ” Ms. Thorley said Monday.
“But people come together. We’ve had incidents in the past where they’ve broken windows. People come together and keep on going.”
With a report from Laura Stone