Local Jewish community commemorates October 7

More than a hundred members of the Jewish community gathered at Barrie City Hall to commemorate the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas abducted more than 200 Israeli civilians and today's ongoing war in the Middle East commenced.

Those in attendance honoured the hostages and those who lost their lives, as local Israelis expressed their continued concern for their family members back home who are affected by the conflict.

"My whole family is in Israel. My siblings, nephews and nieces," said a member of Am Shalom Congregation. "I feel the whole year was a year of mourning, and today was a very difficult day."

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Others felt the warmth of showing solidarity as a community.

"It was just a feeling of strength to be with others," said Michaele-Sue Goldblatt, secretary of Am Shalom Congregation. "Not only with other Jewish people but even more importantly with other members of the community here in Barrie."

The memorial was also attended by Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall and representatives of MP Doug Shipley, MP John Brassard and MPP Andrea Khanjin.

"I remember in the days after the attack, I had members of the community coming in who've lost their loved ones," said Nuttall. "When you think back to what happened a year ago, there's a lot of hurt. A lot of pain."

Over in Barrie's south end, there was a memorial at Mapleview Community Church to show support for the Jewish Community.

"We have as an organization sent a lot of humanitarian aid and assistance right into Israel," said Jeff Futers, executive director of First Century Foundations and a speaker at the memorial. "Whenever we have the opportunity to show the local community support, we do that as well."

Palestinian Support

Leading up to Monday's commemorations, around 50 Palestinian supporters held a vigil in front of Barrie City Hall Sunday evening to mourn the lives lost in Gaza and to call for a ceasefire.

"Some of us know folks in Palestine, some of us have family in Palestine. Some of us are just concerned human beings," said Celeste Price, one of the vigil organizers.

Both sides expressed their wishes for peace and ending the ongoing war.

"Everybody wants peace," said Jeff Wellman, president of Am Shalom Congregation, back at Monday's City Hall commemoration. "And I would say, for those people who want a ceasefire, we've had ceasefires. But what we should be working for is a lasting and just peace."