PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SONS OF JACOB SYNAGOGUE
And how to support Constable Smith and The Sons of Jacob Synagogue
BELLEVILLE, ON | September 23, 2026
The Sons of Jacob Synagogue is grateful that every member of our congregation survived Sunday evening’s shooting outside our synagogue as we gathered to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. We are also deeply grateful to Constable Jeff Smith of the Belleville Police Service, who was stationed outside our synagogue and was seriously wounded in the exchange of gunfire. Our prayers are with Const. Smith, his family, his colleagues and everyone supporting his recovery.
We will never know what might have happened inside our synagogue had Const. Smith not been there.
At approximately 7:10 p.m. on Sunday, as our congregants were gathering for Kol Nidre services gunfire erupted outside the synagogue. Congregants were instructed to get down and remain inside as the situation unfolded. Approximately 25 people were inside the building. Thankfully, no congregant was physically injured.
But we were not untouched.
Our place of worship was struck by gunfire. Our sacred Yom Kippur service was interrupted. Our community was forced to take cover inside our sanctuary on a night devoted to reflection, prayer and atonement. That is something no congregation should ever have to experience.
We are grateful to the Belleville Police Service, emergency responders and the Ontario Special Investigations Unit for their response and for the work now underway to establish exactly what happened. This was clearly a targeted attack against Jews gathering together to pray and be in community.
Jews must be able to gather, pray and live openly in our communities without fear. We will not allow fear to define our community. We will care for one another. We will support Const. Smith and his family. We will repair what has been damaged. And we will return to our synagogue, together. Yom Kippur asks us to confront what is broken and consider how we can repair it.
This week, our community is living that teaching in a very real way. We are asking our neighbours, fellow faith communities and all Canadians to stand with us not only in this moment, but in the days ahead. To the people of Belleville who have reached out, brought flowers, attended Monday night’s vigil, offered prayers or simply asked how they can help: thank you.
Your solidarity matters.
And to Const. Jeff Smith: our community is praying for you.
May you have a complete and speedy recovery.
May our community find strength and healing.
And may we never lose sight of the simple truth that every person should be able to walk through the doors of their place of worship without fear. The synagogue is fundraising to support repairs and future security measures.
To support Constable Smith: https://gofund.me/0427cef3b
To support Sons of Jacob Synagogue:
Go Fund Me: https://gofund.me/f7e602634
E-transfer: sonsofjacobbelleville@gmail.com
CIJA: https://www.jewishcanada.org/belleville-synagogue-attack-response-fund
Media Contact:
Sons of Jacob Synagogue
Belleville, Ontario
Daniela Kelloway
daniela@clutchpr.com
