According to an Antidefamation League audit, there was a 135% increase in antisemitic incidents in 2023. Those statistics don’t include bullying, harassment, and threats online.
In schools, the rise of antisemitism has communities like Collier County taking action. On Sunday, the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples organized a workshop to discuss the growing issue and explore ways to combat it.
One of the concerns raised during the event was the role of social media in amplifying hate speech. Erica Hruby, a Jewish education facilitator, spoke about the importance of schools partnering with communities to create safe spaces for students.
"Young people live in a world where they can get information from people on the ground, on Instagram or images. We need to partner with schools, not just to react, but to prevent this. We can't wait for another incident.”
Hruby also stresses the value of having diverse perspectives to help teens understand complex issues.
“They want to understand what's happening with Israelis, but they also want to understand what's happening with the Palestinians," she said. "I think it's important that we figure out ways to be able to bring those stories to them.”
The meeting concluded with dozens of individuals, both in person and on Zoom, asking thoughtful questions about antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Every question was answered, providing participants with knowledge on how to support the upcoming generation.
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