On the evening of September 20, as members of Belleville’s Jewish community gathered at Sons of Jacob Synagogue for Yom Kippur services, a Belleville police officer encountered an armed man outside the synagogue.

Const. Jeff Smith was struck by gunfire and critically injured. He remains in hospital in critical but stable condition.

Inside the synagogue, worshippers heard the gunfire, took cover and sheltered together as bullets struck the building. Const. Smith confronted an extraordinarily dangerous situation while protecting a Jewish congregation assembled on the holiest day of the Jewish year.

In Judaism, *pikuach nefesh*, the preservation of human life, is among our highest obligations. Const. Smith fulfilled that obligation not through words, but through courage and action. When members of a vulnerable community needed protection, he put himself in harm’s way.

We are organizing this fundraiser as members of Canada’s Jewish community to express our profound gratitude to Const. Smith and to support him and his family during what may be a long and difficult recovery.

This fundraiser is also intended to send a clear message to Const. Smith and his fellow officers: the Jewish community remembers those who protect us. We will not forget what he did outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue.

Please give what you can and share this campaign. May Const. Smith experience a complete and speedy recovery.

Const. Smith. Toronto’s Jewish community stands with you and your family.

*We are currently in touch with the Belleville Police Service to determine the best way to disburse the money. The Sergeant on duty as of 1:45 PM, September 21st, 2026 offered to pass on this information to the leadership of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue so we can determine the best way to disburse the funds. Updates will follow accordingly.*

**Update 1: On Tuesday, September 22nd at 12:17 PM, I was called by a senior member of the Belleville Police Service. This officer is now acting as the liaison between myself and Constable Smith's family. Out of respect for the family's privacy, I told the officer that I did not want to pry about potential timelines for his recovery, but we agreed that we would begin the process to determine how to disburse the funds directly to his family. Due to the officer's recovery, there is no firm timeline on when the funds will be disbursed, and the fundraiser will stay open indefinitely. I will speak to my contact at BPS at the end of the week to determine next steps. No funds have been withdrawn or disbursed, nor will they be until firm plans have been made to disburse them to Constable Smith and/or his family. Thank you all for your generosity and support.**

**Update 2: Changing title to Canadian Jewish Community, to reflect the support and donations coming from across Canada**

**Update 3: On Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:36 PM, I spoke to my contact at BPS. I will be going to Belleville in person later this week to finalize arrangements with BPS and the beneficiary that has been designated by the family. I will provide another update once this has been completed.**