Jewish communities across Canada were advised to review and implement their security measures in the wake of threats from Hezbollah following the assassination of arch-terrorist Imad Mughniyah in Damascus on Feb. 12.
Canadian Jewish Congress, which is mandated to support community
defence, passed along its message of heightened security after meeting
with law enforcement officials, according to Len Rudner, right, national
director of community relations.
“We consulted with police locally and nationally, and based on that, a security advisory was sent to Jewish organizations across Ontario and to colleagues [in other regions],” he said. “We certainly encouraged them to ensure their protocols are closely followed and that all equipment they have are fully operational and engaged.”
The in-house security measures are costly and Congress has called on federal and provincial governments to provide some financial assistance. Late last year, the Harper government announced a $3-million initiative called the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) to help underwrite some of the security costs borne by ethnic communities. The Jewish community has applied for a subsidy, and an announcement detailing allocations is expected in the near future, Rudner said.
Jeffrey Chapman, a spokesperson for Public Safety Canada (PSC), said “PSC is currently processing the first intake of applications and will be making an announcement shortly.”
SIP documentation states it was established “to help enhance the security infrastructure of communities targeted by hate-motivated crime.” Funding is available for non-profit organizations associated with a community, to protect places of worship, educational institutions and community centres.
“As far as we’re concerned, the program is necessary” and should be made permanent, Rudner said.
“This is not the first time such threats have been directed at the Jewish community. By this time, the Jewish community is aware of the protocols.”
American Jewish organizations were also told to be vigilant, particularly after a Los Angeles-area Jewish Community Centre (JCC) was firebombed last week.
The JCC in West Hills, Calif., in suburban Los Angeles, was hit with two Molotov cocktails. No one was hurt.
Israel, meanwhile, put its embassies on alert following warnings from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards who threatened to strike Israeli facilities and Jews abroad.
In recent years, Congress has issued other security advisory as events in the Middle East heightened tensions. Security measures have been implemented at schools, synagogues and community buildings, where guards patrol and electronic monitoring devices have been added.
Congress has maintained close relations with law enforcement officials, and Rudner said that when tensions increase, police in Toronto and York Region are asked to step up their patrols around community buildings. Police have been sensitive to the community’s security concerns, he added.
