Beneath the myriad charms that make Southwest Florida a most desirable place to live, for many lies an uglier truth: Even “Paradise” isn’t immune to the rising tide of antisemitism and other hate speech at levels not seen in this country for generations.

As leaders of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, we are calling on the philanthropic community to join us in not only speaking out forcefully but also providing the necessary funding and support—from organizational outreach to building connections to other funders—to organizations working on the front lines to combat hate speech and embrace diversity.

A recent report from the Anti-Defamation League identified nearly 3,700 incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, or assault nationwide in 2022—a 36 percent increase from the previous year and the highest number in nearly a half-century of keeping track.

Here in Florida, the number of reported antisemitic incidents nearly doubled in 2022 compared to the previous year. The FBI has also identified an increase in religiously motivated hate crimes, with more than half targeting Jews.

Like philanthropy, public education has played a critical role in promoting the welfare of others and making society a better place for all to exist side-by-side. In this moment of social upheaval, we fear that Collier County Public Schools here in Southwest Florida have become a breeding ground for intolerance, conflict, and antisemitism.

Recent coverage of antisemitism at schools in a Wisconsin village outside Milwaukee; Westchester, New York; suburban Detroit; northern California; and other communities reflects the severity of these issues nationwide. The Jewish community, of course, is just one of many minorities experiencing this rising hate.

During the public comment period of a Collier County School Board meeting in early May, an array of speakers strongly advocated for inclusion of Christian faith and principles in the public education system. Many expressed the view that our nation’s social and political problems arise from a lack of “traditional values”—a euphemism for Christian values. Public comments included a complaint that prayer has been removed from public schools and that the district’s new superintendent should be a Christian.

Senior Rabbi Adam Miller of Temple Shalom in Naples, a highly recognizable leader in the Jewish community who spoke at the meeting, was later accosted by two individuals shouting antisemitic statements. Other incidents of hate speech related to that session have since been reported.

This growing pattern of rejecting and marginalizing anyone who does not adhere to traditional Christian values and doctrine requires a coordinated response. As it does for so many of the causes and organizations near and dear to our hearts, the philanthropic community must lead the way. It’s literally embedded in the name, derived from the Greek words for “love of mankind.”

Now is that time, an inflection point where people of all faiths, or no faith, can rally together and stand up to hate. It’s happening on a national level, as the White House has announced its National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism is promoting a public awareness campaign with the social media tag #StandUpToJewishHate, followed by its symbol: a blue square.

The takeaway: antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem but a societal one that requires each of us to do our part in saying no to hate, intolerance, and all forms of racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination. Philanthropy can be a powerful tool to invest in our better selves.

We urge both individual and organizational philanthropists to reevaluate your charity decisions and annual giving plans through the lens of whether those donations combat or exacerbate intolerance.

We further encourage you to support public awareness campaigns that combat antisemitism and other hate speech and shine a light on this growing tide of intolerance. As they say, sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Your voice, your involvement, and your thoughtful choices in philanthropy are vital to help reverse this rising climate of intolerance.

Nathaniel Ritter, a retired orthodontist who practiced in Dayton, Ohio for 35 years, is board chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Jeffrey Feld is the federation’s president and CEO.