A Belleville Police officer walking alongside community members during the Prayer Walk For Peace on Thursday, November 5, 2026 / Lindsey Harren.
A moving display of community spirit was seen in the east-end of Belleville, Thursday afternoon.
Over 150 people joined Belleville Police for the Prayer Walk For Peace, that started at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church and concluded at the Robin Jeffrey Park in the east-hill neighbourhood.
The idea for the initiative held during Crime Prevention Week, came out about after the September 20th, Yom Kippur, hate-motivated shooting at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, which occurred down the road. Belleville Police officers Constables Jeff Smith and Mike McCurdy exchanged gun-fire with the shooter, who later died in hospital. Smith suffered critical injuries and has recently been released from hospital to recover at home. Constable McCurdy was not hurt.
Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd, told people at the park during a series of speeches, that police are convinced it was divine intervention that the right officers were at the scene at the right time.
Community members were joined by a variety of folks from different faith groups, along with other first responders. There were no incidents at the event, which was heavily monitored by police.
Belleville’s Mayor-elect Paul Fleming was in attendance, along with Councillors Garnet Thompson, Barb-Enright Miller, Sean Kelly, and Danielle Hanoman from the Belleville Downtown BIA.
Fleming said that the turnout was fantastic and he is happy to see ongoing support for Belleville Police.
“This is the really first significant event since the tragedy at the synagogue. We know there are other hate-crimes out there, there are threats on people, and we have to really come together as a community and support each other. Not just Constable Smith, but all the police officers, all the paramedics, and our general public. If we work together as a community, we can accomplish great things and maybe by coming together its another step to getting some peace in our community,” said Councillor Thompson.
Pastor Mansfield Edwards, a chaplain from York Regional Police was welcomed, alongside members from the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and Salvation Army. Members of the local Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu community also showed support in solidarity.
Speaking with InQuinte.ca., Reverend Father Brad Beale, from St. Thomas’ Anglican Church discussed the idea to come together. He serves as the volunteer Belleville Police Services Chaplain. Father Beale said that a number of churches and other groups after the shooting had reached out, about wanting to do something, asking what can they could do to show support in a public way.
“We got a steering group together with representatives from the synagogues, churches, and out together a bit of a plan. It was important to me that we had the synagogue involved because I wanted to make sure we were not telling the synagogue what support is, but saying… this is an idea, how would you folks feel about something like [a walk],” said Beale.
He added that the outpouring of support and solidarity after the attack was not a surprise, but the attack itself was.
Beale said that prayer walks like this often happen in other communities. He added that there is some talk about the Belleville event becoming an annual moment to stop and reflect.
Pastor Garth Geddes of the Belleville Seventh-Day Adventist church, emphasized in an interview that everyone feels impacted.
“Belleville is one. When we heard about the Sons of Jacob incident it really reverberated through our congregation. Everybody was in solidarity. We share one very main common thing with the Sons of Jacob…we worship on the seventh day Sabbath. So aside from being concerned, some folks were also saying…well if they could do that to the synagogue maybe we could be also targeted. There were mixed emotions, but overall we were just concerned that something like this could happen in our small community. So when this initiative came about we said we are going to be present so that we can show solidarity that we are one in Belleville,” said Geddes.
The crowd gathered at the East Hill Park for the Prayer Walk For Peace / Lindsey Harren.
Following remarks from Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd, and variety of scripture readings and prayers were made, led by different local religious leaders, including Fr. Rod McNeil who is the Pastor of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Norm Weddum, the president of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, shared with InQuinte.ca, that a new sign has just recently been placed outside the building. The sign was put up Wednesday night, after the team received permission from the City.
He said that the synagogue has seen increased attendance for services since the shooting.
Weddum continues to encourage the community to donate to Constable Smith’s GoFundMe Page, with a hope that $1 million dollars is reached to support him and his family. The fund is currently at $978,000.
Addressing questions around security, Weddum said that even before the shooting they were planning on upgrading their security system.
“So now of course it’s been fast tracked. Yes we have put different things into process right now. But the big issue is still that you can have all the cameras and panic buttons and everything… but that doesn’t stop a shooter from coming in. We still rely on people like Constable Smith, where we have the Belleville Police supplying an officer. So, we’re very fortunate that they are really good to us. There are other synagogues that don’t have that option, like in Toronto, they are paying for off-duty police to protect them. It costs a fortune, and this is what we have to address,” explained Weddum.
The new sign outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue / Lindsey Harren.
