TORONTO

Mayor Rob Ford tried to drum up some divine intervention to help land a Toronto casino this week but ended up leaving councillors “shocked and embarrassed.”

The “awkward” moment came when Ford joined several councillors and an Orthodox Jewish crowd Monday for a gathering between local politicians and the Toronto Eruv committee organized by Councillor James Pasternak.

Ford walked into the event, “pounded” out a pro-casino speech and urged roughly a dozen Orthodox rabbis present to “squeeze” councillors for casino support.

Most of the councillors in the crowd other than Ford’s brother, Councillor Doug Ford, have either come out against a casino or were still on the fence. Pasternak organized the event to educate councillors about the Toronto Eruv — an eruv links together private property and public property allowing observant Jewish residents to carry items or push objects like strollers on the Jewish Sabbath.

“I’m not really sure this is the crowd that he wants to use his standard casino stump speech on,” Pasternak told the Toronto Sun Thursday. “In general the religious communities are against the casino.”

Pasternak said Ford was welcomed with applause and people did appreciate him being at the event.

One councillor who would only speak anonymously said Ford’s speech left most of his council colleagues “shocked and appalled.”

According to the councillor, Ford told the rabbis: “I need your help to squeeze the councillors to get the votes for a casino.” He went on to warn that he’ll run a candidate in the next election against any councillor who doesn’t support a casino.

Councillor Joe Mihevc said Ford’s speech to Orthodox Jewish rabbis was “embarrassing.”

“He talked about casinos and he talked about how he was running for office in the next election and he was also going to have a Team Ford that was going to take on anyone that wasn’t on his team,” Mihevc said.

“I was embarrassed by his performance, he came in disheveled, he (almost) grabbed the mic ... he did not do honour to our good city.”

Mihevc said Ford “did not make people tremble with fear” over the election threat.

“It was just an awkward and embarrassing moment,” he said.