Staff at Canadian Jewish institutions – synagogues, schools and community centres – are being asked to be more vigilant in light of the recent terror attacks in Paris that included the murder of four Jews at a kosher supermarket.
Adam Cohen, the Israeli-born, Montreal-based national director of security at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said that although there isn’t anything to suggest an attack on Canadian Jewish institutions is imminent, world events like these can lead to copycat attacks.
“Because of that, we told our synagogues and schools to be extra vigilant,” Cohen said.
“I’ve talked to teachers and students… if you’re leaving your school or entering it and there is someone next to you that you don’t know, don’t hold the door open. Just like you don’t hold the door open for a stranger to come into your home at night, you’re not going to hold the door open for a stranger to come into your school if you don’t know who they are.”
Cohen added that police across the country have been increasing their patrols around Jewish institutions.
Toronto Police Service spokesperson Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said, whenever there is “a significant world event,” police will generally increase their patrolling of relevant areas of the city.
“At this time, we have no reason to be on alert here in Toronto,” she said. “[But] each division that does have Jewish schools or synagogues, that particular division would be aware of it, and in general make sure their presence is visible – not because there is a threat, but just to be visible in the area and do proactive policing.”
Many of the staff at Jewish institutions in Toronto and Montreal that were contacted by The CJN were advised by Cohen not to discuss their security protocols with the media, but a number of synagogues and schools did release statements about the issue.
“In the wake of this latest round of terror in France, working with our local Toronto Police division, marked police cruisers were constantly patrolling on Bathurst [Street] and in both of our parking lots this past Saturday,” wrote Russ Joseph, Holy Blossom Temple’s executive director, in a statement posted to the shul’s website.
“This, we are told, with a combination of our regular security force, augmented by police officers, is the appropriate response based upon an assessment of risk.”
Helen Fox, principal of the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, wrote in a statement that she’s been advised there is no intelligence that suggests a need for increased security measures.
“The tragic events that unfolded in Paris have reminded us of the need for heightened awareness and concern at school. We will be reminding students through our regular daily announcements of the need to be constantly vigilant when it comes to reporting intruders, suspicious packages, and any other odd or unusual activity at or around or school,” Fox wrote, adding that the school doors will now be locked at all times during the school day.
Students will have to use their personal access cards to gain access to the building.
Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto sent a similar statement to parents and staff, to assure the community that “our security is visible, and our security guards are trained by reliable agencies to deal with any potential threats… We want to assure you that we are in regular communication with our local police authorities as well as CIJA, and we will continue this throughout the school year and beyond.”
Cohen said he’s confident in the security system in place at Jewish schools in Toronto, Montreal and elsewhere in Canada.
“We have all kinds of elements, all kinds of protocols and all kinds of systems that we put in our schools so that if, God forbid, something does happen, our schools have the know-how and the tools to go into full lockdown until help arrives,” Cohen said.
“Are we 100 per cent [safe]? Never. Do I sleep well at night? I do.”