It is a particularly weak, twisted mind and hate-heavy heart that uses firearms against a synagogue, a special place of prayer, learning and gathering. And yet, one or more such individuals did precisely that this week against Temple Emanu-El in Toronto, after congregants had departed the synagogue at the conclusion of their Purim celebration.
It may have been a fluke that worshipers had already gone home before the shots were fired. Or, the shooter(s) may have waited until the building was empty. It matters not. The gunfire at the place of Jewish worship was despicable and craven. As an attempt to intimidate, it failed. As an attempt to assert power over Jews, it failed. As an attempt to express solidarity with fellow haters of Jews and of Israel, it failed. But as another warning of danger to our civil society, it succeeded. For, those who train their weapons on Jews will, in time, train their weapons on other minorities and then, in further time, on the very institutions on which our way of life relies.
Unless, of course, the agencies and mechanisms of law enforcement step in to protect the human beings in our society and society itself, which is the haters true target.
This is not the first shooting by haters in Toronto, or in Canada for that matter, at a Jewish institution. But it does not fall upon Jews to end hatred of Jews. The hatred is illogical, founded upon age-old bigotries, almost disease-like, and vice-like in its grip upon the minds of the haters. Jews cannot convince the haters to stop hating.
Rather, it falls upon elected leaders and upon the stewards of the ubiquitous rules-respecting, human rights-affirming institutions of our democracy, to control and abate, if not eradicate, the manifestations of such hatred.
Columnist and public thinker Bret Stephens recently told an audience in New York in the 46th annual State of World Jewry address at the 92 Street Y, that Jewish community budgets are mostly wasted when spent on trying to cure society of antisemitism. Stephens was adamant that in the post-October 7 climate of fevered antisemitism, Jews fight antisemitism best by strengthening Jewish identity and thereby also strengthening Jewish communities.
According to a report by Haley Cohen for eJewishPhilanthropy, Stephens suggested that resources should go toward building more Jewish day schools across the country, among other Jewish identity-strengthening causes. His suggestion echoed one made by podcast host Dan Senor, who delivered last year’s State of World Jewry address, saying that the key to thriving American Jewry is “a recalibration in favor of our community’s needs,” with Jewish day schools and summer camps being some of the strongest contributors of a solid Jewish identity.
“The proper defense against Jew hatred is not to prove the haters wrong by outdoing ourselves in feats of altruism, benevolence and achievement,” said Stephens. “It is to lean into our Jewishness as far as each of us can, irrespective of what anyone else thinks of it.”
“He also called on American Jews to “be proud” of Israel. “This perpetual apology machine, which is the American Jew trying to stand up for the state of Israel, needs to end. We need to be proud.”
The community cannot simply abandon the fight against antisemitism because in truth, it is a fight to preserve civil society. However, GAJE agrees with Stephens (and with Senor) that the community must help in raising more of our children to be Jewish and proud of it. Thankfully, community leaders in the GTA and indeed across Canada understand this in a way that still eludes many of their counterparts in the U.S.
Despite the more Jewish education-oriented approach of communities here, as we have seen since October 7, the haters still frequently shout their abuse on the streets, in malls and even in public schools. And alas, some of them still shoot their guns at Jewish institutions.
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If you wish to contribute to GAJE’s lawsuit to achieve fairness in educational funding, please click here. Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of helping to underwrite the costs of the lawsuit. For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com Thank you, in advance, for considering doing so.
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Shabbat shalom
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
March 6, 2026
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 