Like most Jews, I’m not the same person I was last Oct. 6. The magnitude of what happened the next day and since then has forever changed me and the reality for Jews in Canada and abroad.

A year ago, the darkest chapter in Jewish history since the Holocaust began with the invasion of southern Israel by Hamas terrorists who carried out wide-scale atrocities and kidnapped 251 children, women and men. That hit close to home for Jews everywhere including many who have family and friends in Israel.

At the time, nobody in Canada’s Jewish community imagined that a consequence of 1,200 people, mostly Jews, being slaughtered in Israel and its efforts to defend itself would be a surge in antisemitism in our country, including many acts of violence. Sadly, this virulent hate continues to play out on our streets, on university campuses, in unions and on social media.

The emotional and psychological fallout is immeasurable. Even calling the past year an annus horribilis doesn’t capture just how horrible it’s been, and the trauma and sorrow are far from over. If I and so many other Jews are still hurting, we have good reason.

That much of the world has gone beyond criticism of Israel to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state and the Jewish people, even while they’re under attack on multiple fronts, is a stark reminder of painful chapters in our history when we’ve found ourselves isolated and largely abandoned.

To be sure, over the past year, Jews in Canada have been shocked by the relentless targeting of our community, with frequent physical attacks on our synagogues, schools, community centres and Jewish-owned businesses. Not to mention the vile antisemitism Jewish students at Canadian universities have repeatedly faced since last fall.

Far be it for me to question the right to protest, which is sacred in any democratic society. But too often at anti-Israel demonstrations, we’ve witnessed something else entirely. Something that should concern all Canadians who value freedom, democracy, tolerance and mutual respect, which are what I most cherish about this country.

Just recently, in the streets of Toronto and Montreal, there were people glorifying Hassan Nasrallah, the late leader of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization. Some demonstrators proudly brandished Hezbollah flags and held aloft photos of Nasrallah, an enemy of the West who for decades perpetrated horrific acts of violence targeting not just Jews but also Muslims and Christians. Not for nothing he was loathed in many places in the Middle East including in his own country of Lebanon, Syria and Iran, where many people, at their own peril, publicly celebrated the recent death of this mass murderer.

Yet here in Canada, where we’re blessed to have freedom and democracy, law and order, there are people who continue to flaunt their disdain for those precious values at every turn, engaging in hate speech and incitement, confronting police and vandalizing institutions.

While it’s primarily Jews who are on the receiving end of this vitriol, it ultimately endangers the very fabric of our society. Opposing the depravity of the haters isn’t just about standing up for Jews.

If there’s been any solace in recent months, it’s come from people from many communities and walks of life defending the rights of their Jewish co-citizens. They recognize what’s at stake — the type of Canada we want to live in.

Decidedly, we’re living in challenging times but that’s nothing new for Jews, for whom the spirit of hope has always been central to how we approach the future. For my part, when I think of what lies ahead, I see light on the horizon. I’m encouraged by the increasing awakening of non-Jewish allies who every day are finding their voice and pushing back against the haters and forces of extremism. We know when non-Jews take such a stand, it’s even more resonant and impactful.

As a proud Canadian Jew, I have but one message for each one of our many allies. Thank you for your courage, moral strength and resolve. Thank you for exemplifying the best of Canada.