One year after a horrific attack that left more than a thousand dead in Israel, Canadian Jews and allies are coming together.
Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the “Marking One Year” event hosted by the UJA Federation in Toronto on Monday evening, its organizers told the National Post.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people — the deadliest attack against Jews since the Holocaust — and kidnapped 251 hostages. Israeli officials estimate that 97 hostages remain in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported. The attack sparked a global anti-Israel movement, with Jews in the diaspora facing increased antisemitism.
This week, Toronto’s Chief of Police Myron Demkiw said there has been a 69 per cent increase in hate crimes against the Jewish community in the city since October 7. Canada is home to roughly 335,000 Jews, according to a Statistics Canada census in 2021, with almost half of them living in Toronto, Canadian Jewish News reported.
Monday evening’s event is in the heart of Toronto’s Jewish community, teeming with police “as a precaution,” per its organizers. The UJA Federation provided a security update on Monday afternoon, saying there was “no specific threat.”
“As we remember a solemn anniversary amid rising antisemitism and threats to Israel, please stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings,” the federation said in an Instagram post, adding that there were “robust security measures” in place.
The event will “cherish the memory of those who were murdered” and reaffirm the community’s solidarity with the hostages and their families, per the website dedicated to the memorial. It also honours the resilience of the wounded and all who survived.
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