Image by Getty Images

A Canadian-Israeli citizen remains in a coma nearly a week after the deadly attack on a Jerusalem synagogue during morning prayers.

Howie Rothman, 53, who moved to Israel some 30 years ago and is the father of 10 children, was hit in the head and arm with a meat cleaver by one of the terrorists. He has lost vision in one eye, suffered brain damage and after at least three surgeries remains in a medically induced coma, the Toronto Sun reported.

The United Jewish Appeal in Toronto over the weekend held what the agency’s representative Steven Shulman called an “unprecedented” fundraising appeal for an individual.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“We don’t do this kind of fundraising; we do it for the community at large. We have made an exception in this case,” Shulman told congregants at the Beth Torah synagogue in suburban Toronto on Saturday, according to the newspaper.

“Howie is a product of this community and in terms of need it’s tremendous. He has 10 children and six are still at home. He was attacked and his life has changed forever. We had to do something. That is the essence of being Jewish.”

Rothman, who works for Israel’s state comptroller and was a regular worshiper at the Har Nof synagogue where the attack took place, also recently became a grandfather for the first time, according to reports

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount