The Jewish community has come close to meeting a $1 million fundraising goal for the injured Belleville hero cop who put his life on the line to prevent a massacre at a synagogue in Belleville, Ont.
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who → come → Belleville
The man behind the campaign is now asking donors to take it over the line.
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man → ask → line
“We are now $45,744 away from our $1 million goal,” GoFundMe page organizer Derek Kreindler wrote on the page on Tuesday.
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Kreindler → write → Tuesday
“Thousands of people from across Canada and beyond have chosen to honour (police officer Jeff Smith) who suffered catastrophic injuries while protecting approximately 25 Jewish worshippers on Kol Nidre.
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who → choose → Nidre
Kreindler adds that a million dollars is neither a milestone, nor a measure of the Jewish community’s gratitude.
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dollars → add → gratitude
Having already demonstrated that Canadians laud responders who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the rest of us, he says the $1-million goal “would provide the Smith family with further support as they face a recovery whose length and full consequences remain uncertain.”
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length → demonstrate → recovery
“Public attention has understandably moved elsewhere (but) Constable Smith’s recovery has not,” writes Kriendler.
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Kriendler → move → ?
“More than $954,000 has brought us within sight of the finish line.
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954,000 → bring → line
Please help us carry the campaign through the final $45,744.
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us → help → 45,744
We remember.
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We → remember → ?
We give thanks.
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We → give → thanks
And we stand by those who stood for us.”
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who → stand → us
On, September 20, members of Belleville’s Jewish community had gathered at Sons of Jacob Synagogue for Yom Kippur services, with Smith providing protection outside.
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Smith → gather → protection
A gunman, former Canadian Armed Forces soldier Sean Ward, attacked the shul, firing at Smith.
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gunman → attack → Smith
Smith was caught on video shouting, “You are going to die for the Jews,” at Smith and another Belleville constable, Michael McCurdy.
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You → catch → Smith
Smith remains in hospital in critical but stable condition.
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Smith → remain → condition
Ward was killed in the firefight.
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Ward → kill → firefight
A separate GoFundMe page has been set up by the Jewish community for McCurdy, which has raised $55,943 raised of a $60K goal.
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which → set → goal
It notes that McCurdy arrived outside the synagogue to find his fellow officer suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his head and torso, and continued the battle with Ward, thereby helping to bring the violent attack to an end and saving the Jewish congregants inside.
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officer → note → congregants
Inside the synagogue, the Jewish community had heard the gunfire exchange and took shelter together as bullets hit the building.
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bullets → hear → building
“In Judaism, pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life, is among our highest obligations,” writes Kriendler on the page.
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Kriendler → write → page
“Const. Smith fulfilled that obligation not through words, but through courage and action.
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Smith → fulfil → courage
When members of a vulnerable community needed protection, he put himself in harm’s way.”
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he → need → way
Kreindler notes that a beneficiary for the funds has been established.
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beneficiary → note → funds
He says the proceeds will transfer directly through GoFundMe to the beneficiary designated by Smith’s family.
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proceeds → say → family
He is asking potential donors not to donate again, but instead to share the campaign with one person, family, business or organization.
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He → ask → person
Forwarding the campaign “could carry us through this final stretch,” he says.
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he → forward → stretch
In late September, Smith wife, Ashley released an emotional thank you to the supporters and “every scared soul” who was inside the building that night.
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who → release → building
In her statement, Ashley said: “From the deepest part of my heart and soul, thank you …
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Ashley → say → you
And then there are the hands that held me and my sweet girls when we were living through the scariest and darkest day of our lives …
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we → be → lives
“I also want to send my love and prayers to the Jewish community, and to every scared soul who was there on Sunday night.
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who → want → night
Please know that your love, your prayers and your support have reached us.
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love → know → us
We love you, we see you, we pray for you.”
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we → love → you
The Aporia
