BELLEVILLE, Canada – Friends of JNF Canada has announced two tributes following the shooting during Yom Kippur services at Sons of Jacob Congregation in Belleville, Ontario.
The organization said it shared the sadness felt by Jewish communities across Canada and wanted to offer a meaningful expression of support to Constable Smith and the congregation.
A grove in the Amnun Forest in Israel’s Galilee will be dedicated in Smith’s name. Friends of JNF Canada described the dedication as a lasting tribute to his bravery, resilience, and commitment to others.
As the trees grow, the organization said, they will stand as a living reminder of those qualities.
For Sons of Jacob Congregation, Friends of JNF Canada will dedicate the Book of Bereishit, or Genesis, in a new Torah being written for the Shlomit community in southern Israel.
The organization said the choice carries a particular meaning for the Belleville synagogue. Bereishit recounts the story of Jacob and his sons, connecting the dedication with the congregation’s name and the roots of the Jewish people.
The tribute is intended to express solidarity and remind congregants that they belong to a wider Jewish family.
Together, the dedications will create lasting connections between those affected in Belleville and communities in northern and southern Israel. One will take root in a forest; the other will become part of a Torah used in Jewish communal life.
Further information about the Torah initiative is available through the organization’s Sefer Torah campaign.
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