A hate-motivated shooting outside a Belleville synagogue is heightening concerns about safety among Jewish students at Queen’s and members of Kingston’s Jewish community.
The shooting took place outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sept. 20 as congregants gathered to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. A police officer stationed outside the synagogue was shot multiple times after a 29-year-old man arrived armed with a shotgun.
The officer and gunman exchanged fire before a second officer arrived and also discharged his firearm, according to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
At a Sept. 24 press conference, Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd confirmed police are treating the incident as a targeted, hate-motivated attack against the Jewish community. Police said the gunman told Constable Jeff Smith, “you’re going to die for the Jews,” before firing at him.
Smith, a 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service, sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body. Police said he continues to recover but is expected to undergo multiple surgeries for serious head trauma.
The gunman, identified by police as Sean Ward of Quinte West, was also shot during the exchange and died in hospital the following night.
For Hillel Queen’s President, Uriel Pressman-Chikiar, the roughly hour-long distance between Belleville and Kingston has made the attack difficult to see as something happening elsewhere.
“I’ve spoken with numerous Jewish students who have been impacted by what happened in Belleville. They’ve told me they’re frightened,” Pressman-Chikiar said in a statement to The Journal.
“This feels close to home,” he said. “Hearing students say they’re afraid to be Jewish or take part in Jewish life is painful.”
Pressman-Chikiar said students he’s spoken with have expressed concerns about their safety since the shooting, including anxiety about gathering in Jewish spaces.
“No community should have to worry about their safety when they gather just because of their identity,” he said.
For Kingston Jewish Council President, Debbie Fitzerman, the attack was particularly immediate.
Fitzerman has attended services at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue and knows members of its congregation. On the evening of the shooting, she was watching a Kol Nidre service online when a friend inside the Belleville synagogue messaged her.
“At 7:27 p.m., our shul was shot up. Twenty-three bullet holes. Cop was shot. We are locked down inside,” Fitzerman recalled the message saying in an interview with The Journal.
Fitzerman asked if her friend was okay.
“She said, ‘No, I feel sick. Cops are inside talking to us now and we can’t leave’,” Fitzerman said.
Around two dozen worshippers were inside the synagogue during the attack, but none were physically injured. Gunfire struck the synagogue and surrounding property, according to Kristy Denette, a spokesperson for the SIU.
Fitzerman said members of Kingston’s Jewish community have responded with anger, alongside concern for Smith.
She said members of a local Jewish women’s group are organizing efforts to bake challah, babka, and fudge for Smith and those supporting him in hospital.
“In our culture, our tradition, we want to do things that are positive,” she said.
The attack has also renewed conversations about the security required for Jewish religious and community events.
Pressman-Chikiar said security has been an ongoing consideration for Hillel Queen’s.
“It’s not normal that, on Yom Kippur, synagogues across the province had to be surrounded by police and security,” he said. “And that was before the horrific news of Belleville broke.”
Fitzerman said Kingston’s Jewish community has similarly had longstanding discussions about security at public celebrations and synagogue events.
“More security, more guards, that separates us from society, that puts us behind ghetto walls,” Fitzerman said. “You’re living in fear. So, you’re not really living.”
Principal Patrick Deane also addressed the shooting in an email to the Queen’s community, describing himself as “deeply disturbed” by the attack and acknowledging its proximity to Kingston.
“We will continue to support the safety and wellbeing of our community and work together to ensure Queen’s is a place where everyone can practice their faith and express their identity openly and safely,” Deane said.
Pressman-Chikiar said he hopes concern for Jewish students continues after attention surrounding the Belleville shooting fades.
“This is not a distant headline for Jewish students here,” he said.
Tags
Antisemitism, crime, Jewish, Jewish community
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