The war between Israel and Hamas has brought a new tide of hate crimes, even in the United States.

A Central New York family with pride in its Jewish faith and heritage is working to combat this antisemitism. 

Spectrum News 1 tags along for two stops across New York with the Stone Fishes and shows how they're spreading their message.

"We're actually in Buffalo right now because Hughie is behind me, leading an improv workshop with the Buffalo Improv House," said Avery Stone Fish from the back bar in the Allen Street Hardware Cafe where music and silly sounds filled the air.

"It's 2:06 right now. We're going to rock and roll until 4:06," said Hughie Stone Fish, standing before a handful of participants in the workshop.

Bringing waves of creativity back to the Empire State, Hughie and Avery Stone Fish settle in for a comedy music improv class -- with heavy hearts.

"Comedy is a great tool to allow us to have tough conversations," said Hughie. "When we are able to receive information in a way that makes us feel uplifted it's a great way to shape our perspective."

Both music and humor are major outlets for these brothers. Hughie won an Emmy for a web-based "Funny or Die" project just a few years ago with unnerving meaning today.

"So a friend that I had worked with at the Second City and done a number of shows with was working on this project looking at the history of antisemitism, racism and sexism in cartoons," Hughie recounted. "They got Jason Alexander to sing half the song and they were looking for the Beastie Boys to do it. The Beastie Boys were unavailable and my friend was working on the project and he said, 'Hey, I know a Jewish guy who's a great musician. Let's try him out.'  And that's how I got the job."

Much of the time Hughie is in front of the camera and providing the tune. Avery runs point on much of their organizational and visual fronts. He's also been heavily involved in outreach and education with different groups -- bringing action for change.

"The first step when you build a partnership across a community is education," said Avery. "It's really important to have both communities have at least a limited understanding of what the other community has been experiencing so that they can come together and build those interpersonal relationships that can actually solve problems."

They are back where it all started in New York State, but "home" is not a state of mind they're easily focused on.

"Yeah, it's tough," Hughie said. "I mean, everyone wants to know like, 'What's up?' I have friends here and collaborators I haven't seen and instead of talking about what the year has been talking about being off Broadway talking about producing Wayne Brady in the studio. Instead, we're talking about 'Is everyone you know, OK? Do you feel safe?' Where I had been planning to post three times a day, new music new promo now I'm advocating for humanity."

They are some of the first and most passionate when it comes to using mediums from song and videos and overall art to bring light to troubled times.

"I try to really make sure when I post on social media, it's about my experience and about the lived experience of those of us around me," Avery said. "Because it's hard to talk about an issue that's so far away, when so many of us don't really have skin in the game and so many Jews do."

The Stone Fishes key in with everything they do right now -- putting in the work for tangible change, trying to overcome a war an ocean away by using what they can to support communities that can't help but feel under attack.

"It's nice to be talking to the students and be able to create a safe space for them to share about their experiences," said Avery. "But I'd much prefer for us to be able to talk about Jewish bride as an entity and talk about our experiences with antisemitism in the past. And not necessarily have to relate them to what's going on today. That's what I would rather be doing."

"I'm a very positive person," Hughie said. "I'm a glass-half-full person. And maybe if you talk to me in a month or so, I'll have a silver lining for you. But I am hard-pressed to find one right now."