Headlines

Police Confirm Yom Kippur Synagogue Shooting in Canada as Hate-Motivated Attack
Netanyahu Accuses NYC Mayor Mamdani of Antisemitism at UN
UC Berkeley Settlement Delayed, Israeli Scholar Still Awaiting Job Offer

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Transcript

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

We begin with a deeply concerning incident in Belleville, Ontario, where a shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Yom Kippur was confirmed by police as a hate-motivated crime. Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd stated Thursday that the attack was an 'exclusive threat' to the Jewish community, with no indication of a threat to other groups. The shooting occurred as Const. Jeff Smith was providing security for the synagogue. According to Chief Rodd, the gunman, Sean Ward, ambushed Const. Smith, who was still inside his vehicle. During the confrontation, Ward asked Smith, 'You are going to die for the Jews?' as reported by police. Const. Smith sustained multiple life-threatening gunshot wounds to his head and body and faces a lengthy recovery. Const. Mike McCurdy arrived shortly after and joined the engagement, preventing what Chief Rodd called a potential 'unimaginable tragedy.' Police said Ward had the capability and means to cause mass casualties and destroy the synagogue. Ward later died in hospital. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs CEO Noah Shack called the attack a 'wake-up call' on rising antisemitism and extremism in Canada, noting that hate targets schools, seniors' homes, and universities across the country. B'nai Brith Canada CEO Simon Wolle also highlighted a marked increase in violent antisemitic incidents and called for enhanced security measures. Jewish university students speaking on Parliament Hill described feeling unsafe, with their identity increasingly politicized.

On the international stage, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his address at the United Nations on Thursday to accuse New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza. Netanyahu, who called Mamdani 'the antisemitic mayor of New York,' stated that 'many Jews no longer feel safe in New York.' Mayor Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel's operations in Gaza who has called Netanyahu a 'war criminal,' rejected the antisemitism charge. In a statement, Mamdani said Netanyahu's speech repeated 'baseless lies' and that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Mamdani maintains his criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights do not amount to antisemitism.

In campus news, UC Berkeley has faced significant delays in honoring a legal settlement with Israeli dance scholar Yael Nativ. The university's civil rights office concluded that Nativ experienced discrimination based on her Israeli identity following the October 7th Hamas attack. A settlement reached in December 2025 included an apology and a promised job offer. However, the university failed to deliver the offer, citing 'internal miscommunication,' according to university spokesperson Dan Mogulof. Nativ, who taught at Berkeley as a visiting professor, has expressed frustration, stating that while she is tired of the case, her goal is accountability. A retired UC Berkeley law professor, Malcolm Feeley, described the situation as 'justice delayed in the extreme.'

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:
- torontosun.com: https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/police-confirm-belleville-synagogue-shooting-hate-motivated
- israelnationalnews.com: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/433630
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-909643
- spectrumlocalnews.com: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/politics/2026/09/24/netanyahu-says-mamdani-endangers-jewish-new-yorkers
- thehub.ca: https://thehub.ca/2026/09/25/how-antizionism-turned-jews-from-victims-into-villains-in-the-worlds-eyes/
- thecanadianpressnews.ca: https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/belleville-attack-should-be-wake-up-call-on-rising-antisemitism-jewish-group-says/article_07339b28-4ac0-5398-bb3b-c19c2c9852f6.html