Dear Friends and Community Members,

Regardless of your personal, political, religious or other take on the state of the politics of the Middle East, we can all agree that over the course of the last few weeks we have been witness to the unfortunate loss of Israeli life through senseless acts of terror, culminating in a most brutal attack on a synagogue and its worshipers this week, leaving five Israelis dead and others injured. The sheer brutality of this act – in a house of prayer, while people were praying to G-d, and in a manner that simply defies humanity – has most of us shaking our heads and wondering how such an act of terror could take place, and when will it stop.

Both of our umbrella organizations – Jewish Federations of North America and Jewish Federations of Canada – have publicly expressed the shock and horror that we all feel, and sent our collective sympathies to the loved ones of those who have been killed. Our federal government also has expressed similar thoughts, and we as the local federation whose mission is to engender a sense of ‘Klal Israel’ (“World Jewry”) between this Jewish community and Israel, want to go on record and also express our outrage at these attacks, and our heartfelt condolences to our brothers and sisters in Israel who are mourning the loss of their family members.

‘Kol Israel Arevim Ze L’Ze’ – ‘All Jews are responsible for one another’ – cannot simply be a slogan; it has to be how we as Jews around the world live. I encourage everyone who is as shocked at these events as I am to put our Israeli family in your thoughts and prayers, and express your support for our brothers and sisters through a variety of avenues:

• Public statements of support for Israel and all Israelis can be found on your right. This page will be updated on a regular basis, so please bookmark the link and return to it to be updated on Middle East-related news.

• If you would like to express your thoughts on this issue, the Federation has created a blog for community members to post their sentiments of support. I ask everyone to be mindful of their comments.

• Our national advocacy organization, The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs, is encouraging synagogues across the country to make this Shabbat one of Solidarity. Information is being sent to our rabbinical partners across the city. Stay tuned for more information from your respective synagogue.

• The Government of Canada has expressed its support for the State of Israel in the wake of this terror attack. Please contact your local MP to express your support of the Canadian Government’s position.

• Keep up-to-date on this and other situations through the following news websites:
 The Jerusalem Post, Ynetnews, Haaretz, Israel 21C, Canadian Jewish News.

Like all of you, I hope for a peaceful solution to the situation in the Middle East between Israel and its neighbours, and long for the day when ‘…they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’ Isaiah 2:3-4 


B'shalom,


Adam Bronstone


Chief Executive Officer

Public Statements of Support

The following links are public statements of support for Israel and all Israelis:

• Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)
• Jewish Federations of Canada/UIA
• The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)
• Prime Minister of Canada

Sentiments of Support

Share your support and express your thoughts on our blog here.