Headlines

Belleville Police Confirm Synagogue Attack as Hate Crime, Gunman Had Mass Casualty Means
Netanyahu Calls NYC Mayor Mamdani 'Antisemitic' at UN, Citing Safety Concerns for Jews
Canadian Jewish Students Report Widespread Campus Antisemitism, Demand Action from Officials

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Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

We begin with a physical attack targeting the Jewish community in Belleville, Ontario. Police have confirmed that the assault against the Sons of Jacob Synagogue was a deliberate, hate-motivated crime. Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd stated that the gunman possessed the means to cause mass casualties. Authorities also released video footage of the attacker before the shooting, saying, “You’re going to die for the Jews.” The response by officers Constable Jeff Smith and Constable Michael McCurdy, who saved lives, is being hailed as heroic. Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, noted that federal threat assessments warn of radicalization by conspiracy theories leading susceptible individuals towards violent extremist pathways against the Jewish community.

On the international stage, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his address at the United Nations General Assembly to directly accuse New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism. Netanyahu stated that since Mamdani's election, “many Jews no longer feel safe in New York.” He specifically denounced Mamdani's repeated accusations that Israel's war in Gaza constitutes “genocide,” calling it “the greatest lie of the 21st century.” The Prime Minister also alleged that Mayor Mamdani associates with individuals who have expressed support for Hamas and pointed to his wife's social media activity. Netanyahu described Mamdani as an “antisemitic mayor” whose rhetoric fuels antisemitism. In response, Mayor Mamdani denied Netanyahu's claims, stating the Prime Minister was spreading “baseless lies meant to sanitize the genocide of Palestinians,” and reaffirmed his view that Netanyahu faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. Prime Minister Netanyahu connected these accusations to a wider surge of antisemitism, citing threats and violence against Jews globally.

Shifting to campus environments, Jewish university students from across Canada have taken their concerns to Parliament Hill. They met with government and opposition officials to share firsthand accounts of antisemitism and demand concrete action. These students report experiencing antisemitic graffiti, “Heil Hitler” salutes, and dismissals of their safety concerns. Kate Blumberg, an undergraduate at McMaster University, highlighted how student governing bodies have minimized motions addressing antisemitism, signaling that Jewish students' safety and inclusion are treated as negotiable. Livia Mamane, a student at Université du Québec à Montréal, noted antisemitic graffiti in campus washrooms, including “Death to Zionists” and “Israel should burn.” A recent report by Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences, or CASE, found that over 90 percent of Jewish students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism on campus over the past year. The report also indicates that Jewish students face antisemitism from faculty and university staff, with faculty cited in 18 percent of reported incidents.

In Spain, over 350 cultural figures, including notable writers and a former prime minister, have signed a petition defending Jewish-Argentinian novelist Ariana Harwicz. She was disinvited from the Cultur Alh festival in Granada after university activists complained about her support for Israel and her dismissal of genocide accusations against the state. Harwicz views cultural boycotts against Israeli artists as antisemitism, while the activists stated that labeling criticism of Israel as antisemitic trivializes genuine antisemitism. The festival director cited institutional commitments to Palestine and human rights, though the University of Granada later stated it did not endorse the decision, emphasizing its role as a space for critical thinking and diverse viewpoints.

Finally, the Anti-Defamation League welcomed a significant recommendation from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. The committee recommended suspending the American Psychological Association's Commission on Accreditation for 12 months, citing the agency's failure to address a “pervasive culture of antisemitism.” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stated that the APA leadership failed to act on concerns raised by Jewish psychologists over more than a year. ADL's prior reporting had documented a hostile climate for Jewish psychologists within the APA, including harassment and speakers justifying violence against Jews, and noted the APA's failure to recognize the Association of Jewish Psychologists.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

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Sources:
- cija.ca: https://www.cija.ca/belleville_police_announce_attack_against_sons_of_jacob_synagogue_as_hate_crime_targeting_the_jewish_community
- cbc.ca: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7357253
- cija.ca: https://www.cija.ca/recording_jewish_students_take_fight_for_equal_protection_to_parliament_hill
- ca.news.yahoo.com: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/jewish-students-come-across-heil-183431792.html
- JTA: https://www.jta.org/2026/09/24/israel/netanyahu-calls-mamdani-an-antisemite-who-endangers-jews-in-new-york
- Times of Israel (Telegram): https://t.me/TheTimesOfIsrael2022/9229
- yahoo.com: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/netanyahu-slams-mamdani-blasts-antisemitism-200338150.html
- youtube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqRZNCNsr0Y
- forward.com: https://forward.com/news/851981/netanyahu-speech-un-mamdani/
- usatoday.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/09/24/netanyahu-lashes-out-at-mamdani-in-un-speech/91925273007/
- haaretz.com: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-09-24/ty-article/.premium/mamdani-accuses-netanyahu-of-sanitizing-genocide-after-pm-targets-him-at-un/000001a0-d503-d259-a3b4-dd9b5ab60000
- jta.org: https://www.jta.org/2026/09/24/global/more-than-350-cultural-figures-slam-spanish-festival-for-canceling-a-jewish-novelist-for-her-israel-views
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/adl-statement-federal-advisory-committee-recommendation-suspend-american
- arabnews.com: https://www.arabnews.com/world/pakistan-deploys-thousands-of-security-forces-ahead-of-planned-protest-3002897