Jews for Social Justice
Statement: The shooting outside a Belleville, Ontario Synagogue on Yom Kippur
United Jewish People’s Order/Jews for Social Justice (UJPO/JSJ) Winnipeg condemns the shooting outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue on Monday September 21, 2026. The exchange of gunfire between Belleville police constable Jeff Smith and Sean Ward, a former Canadian Armed Forces member, resulted in Ward’s death and Smith’s hospitalization. Fortunately there were no reports of injuries to any of the synagogue’s congregation. We wish Constable Smith a full and speedy recovery. Since October 7, 2023 there have been nine incidents of shots fired at synagogues or Jewish schools in Canada. While some pro-Israel groups blame the pro-Palestine movement for these crimes UJPO/JSJ rejects this accusation. Just as in this latest incident those perpetrators who the police have apprehended had no connection to the pro-Palestine movement. In fact at a press conference on the apprehension of the perpetrators of shootings in Toronto the police chief tied the shooting events to an online “gun-for-hire” network recruiting youth to film their armed attacks to secure payments. The incident in Winnipeg on Saturday, September 19 at the Winnipeg Islamic Centre Masjid Bilal where a person was detained by police for making “hateful and threatening comments” to children outside the mosque point to the broader problem of racism in our society. We condemn this act as well as all manifestations of antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian, anti- Indigenous, anti-black, homophobic, etc. forms of racism.
An Independent Canadian Non-partisan Organization of Secular Jews and Others Who Support Our Mission
Who we are
We are an independent Canadian non-partisan organization of secular Jews and others who support our mission:
To sustain and celebrate progressive Jewish secular culture;
To be a progressive voice in the Jewish community and a Jewish voice in the progressive community;
To collaborate with those who share our vision of a just world in which all peoples can live in their ways without discrimination, exploitation, or oppression.
UJPO (United Jewish People’s Order) was established in 1945, amalgamating secular socialist-oriented Jewish-Canadian organizations. Secular Jews consider that their Jewish identity relates to Jewish culture (Yiddishkeit), rather than religious beliefs or practices.
What we do
Organize educational, cultural, and social events to learn about secular Jewish history and culture, and to celebrate Yiddishkayt to promote friendship and comradery.
Organize educational and political activities for social justice.
Organize activities against anti-Semitism and other forms of racism, discrimination, exploitation, oppression, and aggression.
We collaborate with others:
To support the rights of discriminated and disadvantaged peoples to live in cultural safety, prosperity, and equality.
To support the rights of Palestinians to their rightful land and for Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace, prosperity, and equality.
We support:
Activities led by others in support of human rights and social justice, including the sovereign rights of Indigenous peoples and for truth and reconciliation.
Activities led by other organizations and people that are consistent with our mission, including elimination of social and economic inequities, defence of human and civil rights, action against climate change, and for social justice.
Join Us!
Membership in UJPO Winnipeg is $70/year, from July to June. Pay by e-transfer to ujpowinnipeg@shaw.ca or fill in the Contact Form to find out how to send a cheque. Click here to go to our Membership page.