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Shabbat Montreal and the Mizrahi family welcomed the public and media for a vigil after Alberta resident Seth Scott Hatfield carried out a deadly shooting.

Hatfield’s manifesto contained revolutionary Marxist and antisemitic rhetoric, although police have not publicly confirmed his motive.

One woman said Mizrahi had been a close family friend since she was 20.

“He was the pillar of our community, and he’ll never be forgotten,” she said, recalling how he helped residents unable to afford rent or food.

The gathering also exposed the fear felt by Jewish Montrealers.

“It’s getting very scary for our life,” one woman said. “We’re always being targeted. There’s so much hate on social media.”

Asked whether authorities were doing enough, she replied: “No, they certainly don’t do enough,” warning that “God forbid, another thing like this could happen.”

Rabbi Yisroel Bernath urged mourners not to be consumed by hatred.

“We can’t control the negative forces in this world,” he said. “But what we can control is our response to that.”

Liberal MP Anthony Housefather described both victims as “very wonderful people.” Benredouane was “a policeman who grew up in our community,” while Mizrahi “always gave the shirt off his back for people.”

Housefather called for enforcement against terrorist symbols and hateful conduct at demonstrations. “We need police to enforce the law,” he said. “Terrorist groups are illegal in this country. That should be enforced.”

For the grieving community, the message was clear: honour the dead, support their families and demand action before another tragedy occurs.