By Shepard Englander, Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Every year, I look forward to the High Holidays for reflection and dedication. This year, as Yom Kippur closed, our peaceful meditations were marred by news that a gunman fired into the Sons of Jacob Congregation in Belleville, Ontario.
As the gunmen fired at the congregation, Belleville Police Constable, Jeff Smith, was ambushed by the gunman and shot multiple times while inside his vehicle. Despite sustaining devastating injuries, Constable Smith bravely stepped out of his vehicle and confronted the attacker for nearly three minutes before police backup arrived. His quick, decisive actions prevented the shooter from successfully entering the building, where he could have caused a mass-casualty attack. Constable Smith remains in critical condition, and we pray for his complete recovery.
Twenty-three bullets pierced the synagogue’s stain glassed windows before the shooter was killed by responding police. Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd officially confirmed that the shooting was a deliberate, hate-motivated crime targeting the Jewish community. The chief revealed that the gunman yelled, “You’re going to die for the Jews,” before opening fire with a shotgun.
This attack came amid mounting threats against Jewish organizations, businesses, and communities across Canada. Those threats have tracked with the obsessive demonization of Israel in Canadian media, social media, and street protests.
Demonizing Israel fuels hostility toward Jews for decisions they do not control. Political debate about Israel is legitimate. It happens every hour inside Israel itself. But collective blame, intimidation, and violence can never be tolerated.
Perhaps most horrifying is that many of us were not shocked to read that a synagogue was attacked on Yom Kippur. Violence against Jewish people and institutions across North America has risen sharply. In the U.S. in 2025, Jews, about 2% of the population, were targeted in 63% of religion-based hate crimes.
Here at home, our Jewish Federation launched the SafeSRQ initiative in 2020 to ensure that we can gather, pray, celebrate, and our rights will not be taken from us. Our Federation has invested in the best expertise, technology, and training. We advise synagogues, Chabad centers, and other Jewish and non-Jewish organizations.
We make our community safer by building strong relationships with law enforcement, Jewish organizations, faith and civic leaders. We coordinate daily with our law enforcement partners. Over the High Holidays, they again increased patrols and vigilance.
Over the last three years, our Federation’s annual investment in community security through SafeSRQ has nearly tripled from $250,000 to well over $700,000. This includes professional armed security for synagogue and Chabad schools, Camp Yonnie, and Community Day School.
This year, our High Holiday Security Grant Program provided 738 hours of certified armed security. Twelve congregations and Chabad centers in Sarasota and Manatee counties participated.
During the High Holidays, we reflect on how we will live in the coming year. Our Federation commits to continuing to fund and provide strong, effective security for our community. We commit to training over a thousand community members to recognize threats and help keep all of us safe.
In the coming year, let’s all commit to living proud, open Jewish lives. Let’s commit to getting trained to be part of keeping our community safe. Please watch for our next “Safe and Connected Days”, where you can get free expert training and a little nosh.
I enter this new year committed to strengthening SafeSRQ and giving every member of our community the opportunity to help keep one another safe. I ask you to join us. Get trained. Stay alert. Speak up against collective blame and incitement. And live proudly and openly as a Jew. Together, we will show that fear will not define our community.