‘No more thoughts and prayers’: Canadian Jewish groups demand action after synagogue shooting

Canadian Jewish organizations are calling for stronger action against antisemitic violence after a Sunday night shooting outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, at the start of Yom Kippur prayers.

The attack triggered a shootout involving as many as 30 shots that left a police officer seriously injured and forced the synagogue to cancel services.

In a joint statement, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA say Jewish Canadians emerged from Yom Kippur “to the horrifying images of gunfire” outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, where community members had gathered to pray.

“The investigation into last night’s events is ongoing, but one fact requires no investigation,” the statement says. “Jewish Canadians should not need armed police outside their synagogues simply to pray safely.”

Joint Statement by CIJA and Jewish Federations of Canada – UIA:

Jewish Canadians are emerging from Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, to the horrifying images of gunfire outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, where members of the Jewish community had… pic.twitter.com/4eWBdi65HY

— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) September 22, 2026

“Canadians cannot accept a future, as now exists in Europe, in which synagogues and Jewish schools can only operate safely behind permanent armed police and soldiers with machine guns,” it continues.

The organizations express gratitude to the wounded officer, Constable Jeff Smith, who they said risked his life to protect others, and hope for his “full and speedy recovery.”

With Parliament returning this week, the groups urged federal, provincial and territorial governments to prioritize domestic extremist threats.

Their demands include improved intelligence coordination and enforcement against extremist networks, faster access to paid-duty police protection for Jewish institutions, and action against organizations and foreign actors accused of promoting or facilitating violence.

Horrifying news from Belleville, Ontario. A police officer was shot while protecting a synagogue during Kol Nidre services, as bullets pierced its stained-glass window.

This is not a wake-up call. Canadian Jews are sadly wide awake.

This is the reality of Jewish life in Canada… pic.twitter.com/dwN6G2kEDI

— Michael Levitt ????????????️ (@LevittMichael) September 21, 2026

The groups also call on political leaders to confront antisemitism and what they described as the demonization and delegitimization of Israel.

“No more thoughts and prayers,” they say. “The clock is ticking, and our leaders must act before lives are lost.”

Ontario police have yet to officially announce a motive in the shooting, but officials have pointed to it as a likely hate crime.