Full Breakdown
Avi Lewis’ Yom Kippur Post Draws Backlash Amid Synagogue Shooting
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Yom Kippur Post and Immediate Fallout
The message, made before a shooting outside a synagogue, was interpreted by many as assigning collective responsibility to Jews for Israel’s war in Gaza, which began in October 2023.
Political and Community Criticism
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather condemned the post as “despicable,” arguing that holding Canadian Jews collectively accountable is “dangerous.” Ben Carr called the remarks “irresponsible” and warned they fuel threats against the Jewish community. The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) warned that “libels have consequences” when Jews are portrayed as complicit.
Shooting Outside Belleville Synagogue
On September 21, 2026, a gunman fired outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Erev Yom Kippur services. Constable Jeff Smith was injured while protecting congregants. Police identified a 29-year-old suspect who allegedly fired at an officer stationed for security. The incident was linked by advocates to the heightened rhetoric surrounding Lewis’s post.
Lewis’ Defense and Further Remarks
Lewis condemned the attack, describing it as “terrifying” and emphasizing that he never intended to hold Jews collectively responsible. He framed his earlier comment as a personal reflection from a Jewish Canadian perspective, not a political indictment of the community.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's dangerous and it's the type of narrative that is actually contributing to the type of threats that we're seeing levied against the Jewish community.” — Anthony Housefather
- “By not calling out what's happening in the West Bank and Gaza, there is a complicity of silence," Allen told a Senate committee this past June, adding that he himself is Jewish.” — Israel Jon Allen