Growing concern, fear, leads to increased security for synagogue vigil

Rising anti-Semitism has increased the level of concern - even fear - amongst the congregation who worship at the Beth Jacob Synagogue in Sault Ste. Marie.

Eleven people were killed during a mass shooting in Pittsburgh Saturday, when a man opened fire inside the Tree of Life Synagogue while services were taking place.

Several others were wounded during the shooting, including four police officers.

Jeff Arbus, who has served in a number of leadership roles within the synagogue over the years, calls the mass shooting a “significant event.”

“There have been other attacks on Jewish people, and on synagogues,” Arbus told SooToday. “There have been defacements, spray painting of swastikas and things, but never in the history of the United States - and I believe, in Canada - has there been a mass murder inside a synagogue while services were on, on the Sabbath, in the history of either country.”

“So this is a pretty significant event. It comes at a time when anti-Semitism events - occurrences of anti-Semitism - have been on the rise in North America and in Europe.”

It’s for this reason that the Beth Jacob Synagogue will open it doors to the public for a memorial vigil Thursday evening to honour the men and women who lost their lives or were injured as a result of the mass shooting.  

But the Jewish community in the Sault isn’t taking any chances when it comes to security.

“We most certainly did have a discussion about holding the memorial service that we’re planning for Thursday, and also about security for the synagogue as well,” said Arbus. “These are discussions we never had to have in the past, but we do have to have them now.”

There will be security at the door, in addition to surveillance and other undisclosed methods of security taking place at the vigil.

Arbus says there’s “most definitely” a sense of fear throughout the congregation that he leads during worship services.

“We are definitely increasing the level of security at the synagogue, no question about it,” Arbus said. “And I think that’s probably true of most synagogues in Canada and the United States right now.”

The roots of anti-Semitism, Arbus says, can be traced back to before Roman Times, through to The Crusades, Nazi-era Germany, and even the restrictive quotas placed on the Jewish community when applying to study in Canadian universities.

“Events like what happened in Pittsburgh can happen anywhere,” said Arbus. “When you’re from a community, from a faith group that’s been persecuted in the past, events like what happened in Pittsburgh brings all of that back to the surface.”

“It’s not only the tragedy in Pittsburgh, it’s the fact that it’s part of a general rise in anti-Semitism that we’ve seen over the past five years, and especially over the past two years,” he continued. “So all of these things are certainly creating concern in the Jewish community.”

For those who wish to hate there are many outlets for that hatred, Arbus says, including the First Nations, Muslim and LGBTQ communities.

That’s why the synagogue is opening its doors to the public - not only to honour those whose lost their lives in Pittsburgh, but to also stand up against a growing wave of hatred.  

“We want to honour the courage that they showed, the fact that people had to die because of their faith,” said Arbus. “But we want to send a message that we’re not going away.”

“We are going to have the service inside the synagogue, and we will continue to have our services inside the synagogue, and we want to call on the community to stand in solidarity and stand up against hatred no matter what form it takes.”   

The memorial vigil will take place at the Beth Jacob Synagogue Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.

Space is limited for the event.