Winnipeggers come together to remember Oct. 7 victims

Hundreds gathered in Winnipeg Wednesday — with many waving flags — to honour those who died in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel three years ago.

The event, at the Asper Jewish Community College, featured prayers for the approximately 1,200 people killed in the Oct. 7 2023 attack.

Carrie Shenkarow, chair of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, said it’s important for people to gather and grieve together.

“We’re mourning. We’re still mourning,” Shenkarow said, an Israeli flag draped over her shoulders. “The antisemitism and the Jew hatred that has come from Oct. 7 is something we live with every day. It’s not going away and it’s getting worse.”

“We want this to be the Canada we love,” she continued, stressing right now, in Canada “people are scared.”

Sarah Mali, director general of the Jewish Federations of Canada-United Israel Appeal, said many have turned their back on the community.

“The most ethical, moral communities in the world have chosen to not only not see what happened, but to take what happened and twist it in a way where our tragedy has become invalidated,” Mali said.

“Our pain has actually been used against us by the very people we thought could, would, should see us.”

Shenkarow said while members of the Jewish community are feeling unsafe, the event was a chance for the community to gather to remember, but also to show their strength. She said the fact that hundreds of people showed up for the event does give her some hope.

“The age range of the people who were here, from old to babies, those young kids are our future,” she said. “They are our hope … and I think it’s wonderful that we can all come together to celebrate who we are and show the world, we’re not going anywhere.”

Asked about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, she said she’s not sure what the solution is that’ll lead to peace, but said Jewish community members here in Canada should not feel unsafe, and cannot be blamed, for something happening overseas.

More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the conflict, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

“I don’t have that answer, but we have to learn to live together,” Shenkarow said.

morgan.modjeski@winnipegfreepress.com