There’s something that always stays on Lisa Kaul’s mind: antisemitism. Although she’s not Jewish, her husband and their son, Nachman, are. She says she’s no stranger to hearing antisemitic remarks.

“Very often remarks that may be made especially in regards to money, in association with conspiracy that has to do with money," Kaul said.

Lately she’s concerned about more than just remarks. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2021, jumping 34% from 2020. New York, New Jersey and California were the states that experienced the most incidents.

Kaul says she fears that this trend could impact her son.

“But it could take the form of something much more insidious and violent," she said. "And I am painfully aware of this in a way that I was not before in 2016, 2017.”

It led her to attend a harassment bystander intervention training, hosted by nonprofit Right to Be. Emily May, the president and co-founder of Right to Be, says that demand for these sessions are up. She says that harassment, even just a comment, can eventually escalate if left unchecked.

“Hate and harassment, even in its smallest forms, can create a culture that makes more hate and more harassment OK, to the point where it can escalate to extreme violence," May said.

Kaul says this training has helped, teaching her valuable ways to intervene in and de-escalate situations. She says she wants a safer, more equitable world for her family.

“What’s important to me is that people have the opportunity to be themselves," she said.

If you’re interested in attending one of these virtual, free trainings, you can visit the Right to Be website.