Shining Light in Time of Darkness

At the fifth annual Hanukkah ceremony at Toronto Police headquarters on December 17, Chief Myron Demkiw said lighting the menorah reminds us that even in times of darkness, a small light can make a big difference.

He noted that the horrific antisemitic terror attack in Australia last weekend is a sobering reminder that darkness takes many forms, including hatred, violence and ignorance.

“The Toronto Police stand in solidarity with Jewish communities here in Toronto, in Australia and around the world,” said Demkiw. “And we are determined to do everything we can to address the recent resurgence of hate and antisemitism we have been witnessing.”

Stopping hate, he pointed out, takes a collective effort from all of society.

“This is something all Torontonians, all Canadians should be paying attention to and participating in confronting,” said Demkiw. “And for police, part of this work includes our presence in the community. Throughout Hanukkah, you can expect an increased and visible police presence. Then, there is all the work people don’t see behind the scenes, including our investigators, intelligence service and plainclothes officers. We continue enforcing the law to the fullest extent possible as we have done over the past two years.”

Since October 7, 2023 when the unrest began in the Middle East, police have made 466 arrests and laid over 1,000 charges.

Demkiw said that stopping hate also requires ongoing training and dialogue, including ensuring officers receive essential education on hate crimes and antisemitism.

He emphasized the importance of partnering with community organizations, such as the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies, which help develop the Service’s annual hate crime seminar and immersive training experiences.

“It also includes prevention and proactive measures, like the meaningful time our officers spend in communities, visiting synagogues, schools, listening and understanding,” the Chief pointed out. “Keeping our communities safe is a mission we carry out year/round, 24/7 and one where the contributions of community leaders, our members and consultative committees are truly invaluable.”

Demkiw thanked the newly formed Jewish Internal Support Network and the Service’s Jewish Consultative Committee for their efforts in helping to keep communities safe by providing cultural guidance, advising on community concerns, supporting hate crime prevention initiatives and fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and the Jewish community.

“The insights from these two groups combined with the strong relationships that we have with leaders and members of our Jewish communities will continue to help us become a better and more inclusive organization while building trust with those we serve,” he said. “We are grateful to all of you.”

Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights.

Toronto Police Service Board member Ann Morgan echoed the Chief’s sentiments, saying that even in dark times, whether caused by hatred or fear, the light of Hanukkah reminds us that hope, courage and compassion endure.

“It is a light kindled not because the world is safe or easy but precisely because it is not,” she said. “In the aftermath of the horrific antisemitism attack in Australia, this symbolism carries both deeper meaning and renewed urgency. The menorah does more than commemorate an ancient miracle. It stands as a declaration of resilience, dignity and hope in the face of hatred.”

Ontario’s Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said light’s universal power transcends boundaries, guiding life, shaping reality and connecting all things.

“We light many things at this time of the year,” he said, in a recorded statement. “…For me and my family, the light that we see at Hanukkah is even more special. It transcends generations. When we bring people light, they will find their way.”

Inspector Paul Rinkoff co-chairs the TPS Jewish Community Consultative Committee with Michael Levitt.

“This is vitally important outlet for the Jewish community, especially over the last couple of years because it has given us an opportunity to engage directly on very difficult issues when they have arisen,” said Levitt, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal. “The committee’s work is more critical than ever…In the face of hate and violence targeting our people, our response must be to be even more proudly Jewish, to have more candle lightings like this one with trusted friends and valued allies and to be even more active in Canadian society.”

While holding a menorah lighting at a police facility is safe, Rinkoff acknowledged that this is not the reality always for Jewish communities around the world.

“That is a troubling reality and that would be inappropriate to ignore,” said the new Jewish Internal Support Network (J-ISN) co-sponsor. J-ISN Chair Constable Jonatan Cohen also spoke at the menorah lighting about the importance of community.

Rabbi Shmuel Neft, one of the Service’s newest chaplains, said Toronto police officers are beacons of light who illuminate the city.

“Through everyday interactions with community members, they bring positivity and energy that help uplift the city,” he said, leading those gathered in a moment of silence observed in remembrance of the victims of the antisemitic attack in Australia.

Rabbi Neft was another by another TPS Chaplain, Rabbi Jarrod Grover, in leading the lighting of the menorah by Chief Demkiw, the Command team and guests MPP Michelle Cooper, Inspector General of Policing Ryan Teschner and Councillor James Pasternak.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem over 2,100 years ago, following the victory of a small Jewish rebel group, the Maccabees, over the Seleucid Empire. The Seleucids had attempted to suppress Jewish religious practices and impose Hellenistic culture on the Jewish people.

When the Maccabees rededicated the Temple, they lit the menorah but found only enough consecrated oil to last one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which became the basis for the Hanukkah tradition of lighting the menorah for eight nights.