Toronto, Canada – Chabad Center Receives Funding to Beef Up Security

Toronto, Canada – Video cameras were being installed at Chabad Lubavitch Community Center as part of a major investment in making the vibrant Thornhill facility more secure.

The work is being funded through a $43,000 grant from the federal government’s Security Infrastructure Pilot, plus matching dollars raised by the Chabad community.

Over the years the flagship centre – which provides religious services to Russian, Israeli and Canadian-born communities – has suffered “petty minor issues” like vandalism and objects thrown at windows, said Rabbi Zalman Aaron Grossbaum.

Rabbi Grossbaum hopes beefing up security will act as a deterrant.
“We don’t want any more than that. As soon as they know the cameras are there, it should keep them away.”

Rabbi Grossbaum, who is Chabad’s regional director, said the centre’s high profile may have lead it to being targeted.
“It’s the nature of what we do, to reach out to the public at large … to encourage those not affiliated to take part in Jewish life,” he said. “No question about it, people want to know that we’re concerned about their security.”

Rabbi Grossbaum and his wife Esther started the Chabad in a small building in Downsview 36 years ago, moving to the larger Thornhill location on Chabad Gate in 1982. Since then it has grown to include 23 satellite centres across Ontario, from Waterloo to Aurora, including Markham, Richmond Hill and Maple.

The Thornhill building, however, remains the nucleus, with services running from 6:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day. There is a pool, counselling and university programs plus a summer day camp that serves 600 children.

Work is underway on the facility to install cameras, electronic doors, an emergency response telephone line and intercom system.
Up to $1 million in federal funding was made available to communities with a history of being targeted by hate-motivated crime, as part of a one-year extension of the government’s Security Infrastructure Pilot (SIP) program.

“Hate crimes are cowardly acts that are never justified,” said Thornhill MPP Peter Kent at a news conference announcing the funding support on behalf of Peter Van Loan, Minister of Public Safety.
“The funding announced today will help a vulnerable community to better protect itself and create a secure environment for its members.”

The Canadian Jewish Congress and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto welcomed the extension of the security program.
“As we know from experience, underneath the violence and physical damage of hate crimes, there is a deeper psychological damage to the victimized community who feel isolated, vulnerable and unwelcome,” said Canadian Jewish Congress Co-President Rabbi Reuven Bulka. The federal funding shows “in a definitive, tangible way that this is un-Canadian and unacceptable,” he added.

The SIP program was created in 2007 and is administered by Public Safety Canada to help defray security costs at not-for-profit community centres, provincially recognized educational institutions and places of worship with a demonstrated history of being victimized by hate crime.
The deadline for applying for funding help is June 17.