Members of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont., are calling on the federal government to boost support for community safety programs, weeks after a hate-motivated shooting outside their place of worship.
On Monday, Shima Vigodda, vice-president of the synagogue who was there on Sept. 20 marking Yom Kippur when the attack took place, said the incident has left the community shaken.
“Hearing the shots, yelling for people to get down, hearing the glass breaking and screams, watching parents hold their children … I cannot begin to tell you what we as a community in Canada, as a country, very nearly lost that evening,” he said during a news conference on Parliament Hill.
Belleville’s police chief later confirmed that the gunman, who had multiple weapons, ammunition and gasoline on hand, had the means and the motivation to cause a mass-casualty event had he not been stopped by two police officers, one of whom had been stationed outside the synagogue.
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He said before the attack, they thought vandalism was the chief threat facing the synagogue.
“If you had asked us what we thought our security needs were on Sept. 19, before this all unfolded, what we would have told you is that our priorities were replacing broken windows and installing burglar alarms.”
Vigodda said many congregants who were present for the Yom Kippur service feel uncomfortable returning to the synagogue without significant safety measures in place, which he said they cannot afford on their own.
The Canada Community Security Program (CCSP) helps communities at risk of hate-motivated incidents pay for security enhancements, with up to $5 million in funding. But the government only covers 70 per cent of the cost, leaving the community group applying for the funding responsible for the remaining 30 per cent.
Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, is calling on the government to invest in counter-radicalization to prevent hate-motivated attacks. (Nick Persaud/CBC)
“Unfortunately that’s not accessible to a lot of these smaller communities,” said Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).
That’s especially true for the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, which is hoping to invest in bulletproof glass for its windows, the construction of a safe room, and security personnel to help its members feel safe again.
Shack said the government should consider waiving the 30 per cent requirement for the CCSP in an effort to prevent future attacks.
Shack is calling on the government to prioritize prevention along with protection to support Canada’s Jewish community against “rampant extremism, radicalization and antisemitism.”
“Belleville should be the final wake-up call,” he said at the news conference Monday morning.
The call for increased funding comes just days before the federal budget.
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“Thursday’s federal budget is an opportunity for the government to build on its new national strategy by investing in counter radicalization, intelligence and counterterrorism,” Shack said at the news conference
Speaking to CBC afterward, Shack acknowledged that the government has made progress on fighting antisemitism through legislation like the Combatting Hate Act, but said more needs to be done.
“The threat level has increased and the formula to address that threat in terms of funding from government needs to evolve as well,” he explained.
