In worship at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, September 27, Dean Christopher Pappas addressed the recent attack at a synagogue in Ontario and the disturbing rise of antisemitism in Canada and here in Vancouver. He also spoke of a recent conversation with Rabbi Bregman and reaffirmed the Cathedral’s solidarity with our Jewish neighbours.

The Dean said:

Last Sunday in Belleville, Ontario, as people gathered at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue for Yom Kippur, a gunman opened fire. A police officer who was there protecting the congregation was shot.

This comes at a time when antisemitism is rising across Canada—and here in Vancouver as well.
This past week I spoke with my friend Rabbi Bregman, simply to say: we see you, we stand with you, and you are not alone.

Silence in the face of antisemitism is not an option for us.
When our Jewish neighbours are afraid to enter their synagogues, Christians must speak.

We stand with our Jewish neighbours, we reject antisemitism in every form, and we will continue to work for a city in which every person can worship without fear. We continue to respect the dignity of every human being.

Christ Church Cathedral continues to engage in interfaith dialogue and is committed to deepening Jewish-Christian relationships in Vancouver. We believe that sustained conversation, friendship, and standing alongside one another, especially in times of fear and hostility are essential to the life of our city.