TORONTO — Members of the Jewish community, supporters and politicians gathered Monday morning for a rally at a Jewish girls school in Toronto that was the site of a shooting over the weekend, with speakers calling for strength and solidarity.
Toronto police say two suspects fired shots shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School and that no one was injured, though there is damage to the building.
Police say it's too early to say for sure if the shooting was hate-motivated, but politicians are condemning it as an antisemitic act.
Rabbi Yaacov Vidal of the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School said the shooting was shocking and he thanked the police for their dedication to protecting the community.
"Children go to school, and they deserve to be safe," he said. "We live in a democratic country, and everyone deserves to be able to practice their religion in peace."
Daniel Held, chief program officer at the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, said the rally was meant to show "what it means to live with tolerance and peace and love for one another."
"(The shooting) was a deliberate attempt to spread fear across our entire Jewish community, to make us cower and hide who we are, but as you can see here today, the attackers completely failed," he said.
"We are more united than ever. We are more committed than ever to support each other. We are more determined than ever to fight antisemitism wherever it happens."
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, who said he is a third-generation Jew from Toronto, said the Jewish community is not going anywhere.
"It's true, we are in a darker time," he said.
"It is true, we are subjected to unfortunate intimidation and acts of hate and antisemitism, which are completely unacceptable. And that's why we as a community must stand stronger now than ever, proud of our heritage proud of our culture."
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce called on everyone in the province and beyond to rally behind the Jewish community and stand up against hate.
"We stand together, we stand strong, because there is no bullet that can shatter our resolve as a country to stand up against this pernicious hate," he said.
"Our work will not end until every child in our province is able to go to school, and play in our streets without the fear of being attacked simply for being a Jew. The Canada we know and we love is a nation of people who come together for every faith and heritage."
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the students and teachers at the school deserve to be able to attend in safety.
"This is a place for a lot of joyous learning, with young children, and a place to deepen their understanding of the Jewish culture and faith, a place to learn math, science, history," she said.
"I came here to tell you you are not alone. We came to say that it's important that we come together."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2024.
The Canadian Press
