Community Impact Statement

March 26, 2026

My name is Stacey Leavitt-Wright, and I am the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton. Our community has been part of Edmonton for more than a century. Though small in number, Jewish Edmontonians have contributed meaningfully to every sector of this city—from the arts, academia, and law, to public service, philanthropy, business, and volunteerism. We are deeply woven into the broader fabric of Edmonton and see ourselves as part of both the Canadian and global Jewish story.

Before anything else, I want to express our community’s profound gratitude to law enforcement. Their swift and effective action prevented a potentially catastrophic act of violence. The scale of what was averted is chilling. Our community invests heavily in security because we must—but even those efforts cannot fully shield us from someone who openly expresses an intention to harm Jews and possesses the means to do so, with a variety of weapons in their possession. Knowing that such a threat was active here in Edmonton has shaken me deeply.

Antisemitism—hatred of Jews—is not new. But its expressions change over time, and today we are seeing levels of hostility unlike anything in recent memory. Across Canada, Jewish people represent less than 1% of the population, yet are victims of about 19% of reported hate crimes. Approximately 70% of all religion motivated hate crimes in Canada target Jewish people. These numbers are staggering, and they reflect what we see locally every day.

In Edmonton, since October 7, 2023, we have received over 700 reports to our anonymous portal from Jewish and non Jewish Albertans describing discrimination, threats, harassment, vandalism, and open hostility. Children are being bullied for being Jewish. Adults are facing discrimination at work. Many people are afraid to attend community events unless security is visibly present. This is the environment into which this case has emerged.

The details of this case will amplify community fear dramatically. The Bondi Beach attack on the first night of Hanukkah last December left our community heartbroken, especially since our community sees itself as interconnected with Jewish communities around the world. Many were already fearful about attending our annual celebrations. To then learn that someone here in Edmonton responded to that tragedy not with empathy, but with admiration—and a stated desire to carry out similar violence in our own city—is devastating. It is deeply disturbing and saddening how comfortable Mr. Pavez was in expressing his hatred to the Jewish community.

The fact that Mr. Pavez held weapons, expressed explicit intent, and spoke so freely of his hatred of Jews—reinforces a painful truth many in our community already feel: that we are never completely safe, and that danger can emerge close to home without warning.

As the leader responsible for the community’s security planning and well being, this case has intensified my concern for our collective safety. I have warned elected officials and law enforcement that Edmonton is vulnerable to an attack motivated by antisemitic hatred. This case confirms those fears in the starkest way.

The dehumanizing language used—claims that Jews are responsible for all societal evil, the iphone home page picture glorifying Hitler, the celebration of murder at Bondi Beach, and explicit calls for “death to Jews”—all have a profound psychological impact. For many in our community, especially Holocaust survivors, seeing Hitler glorified on a phone screen or hearing that Jewish neighbourhoods in Edmonton were considered potential bombing targets is not abstract. It retraumatizes. It will create panic. It reinforces the sense of being hunted.

The knowledge that someone in our own city had both the mindset and the means to carry out violence against us—combined with over 100 violent online posts—has had a chilling effect. Already, many have told us they now question whether it is safe to attend synagogue, send their children to Jewish programs, or simply walk downtown wearing a visible Jewish symbol. I fear that this will add to that and counter all that we have been doing to foster resilience in our community.

I am personally shaken. When I learned the details of this case, I struggled to concentrate for days. I felt more vulnerable as both a leader and as a Jewish woman raising a family in Edmonton. What was prevented here was not hypothetical—it could have led to true devastation for our entire community. It also adds to my fear and sense of vulnerability for any time that I am publicly representing our community and what may ensue for my personal safety.

This case represents not just a threat, but a profound violation of our community’s sense of safety and belonging. The psychological and emotional harm is real, ongoing, and widespread.

I have been exposed to many comments and antisemitic actors, however, this is the first time I have seen what could have led to true harm and destruction of our community in Edmonton. I reiterate that the scale of what was averted is shocking. I am deeply saddened and scared of what has made this feel like a new normal for Jews in Canada.