TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- It's still a mystery as to who sent anti-Semitic letters to a Tallahassee synagogue last month, prompting the congregation to beef up security.
Barbara Goldstein, who works with the Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC), said dealing with anti-Semitism boils down to education, which she said is the key to avoiding hate crimes.
Based in Tallahassee, HERC is part of a statewide task force. The organization focuses on educating children about the Holocaust and the anti-Semitism that started it.
Goldstein said the center provides resources and training to teachers and makes classroom visits to promote kindness and respect for all people.
She added that anti-Semitism has lasted for thousands of years all over the world.
"It's basically been going on, and now, it's out of the surface," said Goldstein. "Hate crimes have been escalating, and we're addressing it as teaching tolerance and diversity and respecting everybody, learning to get along and trying to take away the hate crimes from the community."
The synagogue was not directly threatened by the letters, but it did install surveillance cameras and requested more police patrols as a precaution.
Earlier this month, the Association of Holocaust Organizations issued a statement about recent incidents nationwide. The group said the hate is "blatant" and calls on leaders to denounce all forms of attack.
