Jewish Federation of Naples hosts event to raise awareness against antisemitism in schools

The Jewish Federation of Naples brought in a national consultant in to speak to the community on Sunday.

Since Oct. 7, antisemitic incidents at K-12 schools increased 135% in 2023 from the previous year, with over 1,500 such occurrences. Now, help is on the way.

The goal of the workshop was to combat the growth of antisemitic-related incidents plaguing the present.

• RELATED: Protecting the Jewish community amid threats and Passover

The workshop began at 10:30 on Sunday morning. During the workshop, parents learned how to support their children who may be going through tough days at school amid the rising antisemitism-related incidents like harassment, vandalism or assault.

The audience was listening attentively and asking questions during the workshop.

It started to look more and more like a discussion. The community came to share their struggles. Those suffering were not alone.

Many in the audience had experienced antisemitic encounters.

Erica Hruby is a national Jewish education facilitator, consultant, and coach. She presented during the workshop.

She said that antisemitism online is particularly dangerous because of the anonymity the internet provides.

She said that children face antisemitism in school, like swastikas and other gestures.

Topics discussed during the workshop included education, the internet, children, and the community.

Hruby showed videos and pictures that opened discussions around the room. When anyone had a question she didn’t hesitate to answer.

People had different takeaways from the workshop, but most felt more informed when it was over.