Now more than ever, we need people to stand with one another.

That was the message of the “Faces of Jewish Family Service” event last week in Glendale, where 450 Coloradans of all backgrounds came together to support people in need, feel hope in these challenging times, and be in community. The event was incredibly successful. It will help Jewish Family Service continue its critical work like operating a food pantry, providing emergency housing and financial assistance, supporting individuals and families in crisis, and resettling refugees.

It’s also why the disruptions caused by a handful of agitators at the event felt so painful and so profoundly misplaced. The events keynote speaker was Van Jones. He spoke about the historic partnership between Black and Jewish communities that helped drive the civil rights movement forward, and about how that spirit of cooperation is needed again to build a more just and compassionate society. It was this message of shared purpose that a small handful of protesters chose to interrupt. One by one, they stood and shouted insults about Van Jones, Israel and the Jewish community.

Colorado prides itself on being a place where people show up for one another. But even an event focused solely on helping Coloradans in need — squeezed tighter than ever by budget cuts and shutdown politics — couldnt escape the toxic polarization and theatrical stunts pulling us apart.

That these protesters felt emboldened to disrupt a Jewish event that had nothing to do with foreign policy also reveals something deeper and more troubling. It reflects a growing, virulent belief that Jews — any Jews, all Jews — are responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. That logic is then used to justify protesting any Jewish gathering, harassing Jewish people, and dismissing the harm these tactics inflict on an already vulnerable community. It is not only the exact form of collective blame these protesters claim to oppose — it leads to firebombings in Boulder, swastikas on I-70, and the bullying of Jewish children in our schools.

We need to be better. Instead of blaming and tearing each other down, we need to refocus on what last weeks event was really about. Feeding the hungry. Supporting people in crisis. Caring for our neighbors.

As Van Jones reminded us after the protesters were removed from the event, “s not enough darkness in the whole universe to drown out the light of one candle.” Lets all do our part to make sure this light burns a little brighter, each day.

Brandon Rattiner is the senior director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). Jewish Family Service is one of JCRCs 45 member organizations.