Antisemitic vandalism was found at a north suburban park on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. abc7chicago.com/post/highlan…

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 gathered to pray. We are profoundly grateful to Constable Jeff Smith who acted heroically in risking is own life to protect his fellow Canadians. Our entire community prays for his full and speedy recovery. The investigation into last night's events is ongoing, but one fact requires no investigation: Jewish Canadians should not need armed police outside their synagogues simply to pray safely. 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. With Parliament returning this week, governments at every level must turn their attention to the domestic situation and the growing threat of extremist violence here in Canada. We are calling for immediate action: · Leaders need to speak clearly: antizionism is driving violence against Canadians. The demonization of Israel offers a green light for extremists who target the Jewish community. This includes when governments single Israel out or hold it to a double-standard. Canadian security officials have repeatedly warned about the potential for international conflicts and grievances to be exploited by extremists at home. Governments must take that threat seriously and confront antisemitism consistently, including when it is expressed through double standards in foreign policy, and the demonization or delegitimization of Israel. · Convene federal, provincial and territorial attorneys general and public safety ministers to prioritize enforcement, disrupt extremist networks, strengthen intelligence coordination, and ensure those who threaten or perpetrate violence are held accountable. · We need streamlined processes that enable Jewish institutions to rapidly request and secure paid-duty police officers during periods of elevated attendance and risk. The framework should allow for prioritized and expedited approvals, a designated point of contact within participating police services, and access to sufficient federal funding to help offset paid-duty policing costs. · Confront extremist ideologies, organizations and foreign state actors that promote, finance, facilitate or direct violence in Canada, including the documented threat posed by the Iranian regime and its proxies. No more thoughts and prayers. The clock is ticking and our leaders must act before lives are lost.