Saskatoon rabbi tells Gormley Hamas attacks ‘worse than the Nazis’

As the Israel–Hamas war enters its second week, Jewish communities in Saskatchewan are feeling the effects.

A pair of Saskatchewan rabbis joined John Gormley on Friday morning to explain what the Jewish community in Saskatchewan is going through as they watch the war unfolding.

“People here are reeling, they’re numb, they’re devastated, they’re shocked,” said Rabbi Raphael Kats, director of the Chabad Jewish Centre of Saskatoon.

Kats said he was absolutely horrified by the atrocities reported from the war.

“Beheading Jewish babies, posting videos of rapes and burning people online, I mean, in my opinion it’s worse than the Nazis,” said Kats.

Kats said the community is trying to keep spirits high and, if anything, the attacks have brought the already tight-knit community even closer.

The Jewish community in Regina is also feeling the impacts of the attacks.

“Horror. Devastation. It’s been traumatic (and) continues to be,” said Rabbi Jeremy Parnes, spiritual leader of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Regina.

“We have been meeting in prayer (and) we’ve had vigils here together with the larger Regina community.”

Parnes also said the outreach from the greater Regina community has been overwhelming and extremely positive.

The rabbi said he has family and friends that are currently in Israel. He said one of his students in Jerusalem is “collecting money and buying food and making care packages as we speak.”

Meanwhile, an Israeli family with close ties to Regina is concerned for a missing relative.

According to Harel Lapidot, who was born in Regina, his 23-year-old neice Tiferet hasn’t been heard from since last weekend when she made a call telling her mother about the attack at a music festival she was attending near the Gaza Strip. Her family is now concerned she might be one of a growing number of hostages.

The Government of Saskatchewan has chipped in to help, with a $100,000 donation it says will be used to purchase ambulances and medical supplies for the people of Israel.

You can hear Gormley’s full conversation with Kats and Parnes here.