There is hate and intolerance in America, as there is in every society. Will humans ever erase the urge to mistreat members of some groups because of their identity? Alas, humanity’s imperfect nature suggests bigotry and discrimination will trail us — probably forever.

The more heartening perspective comes from observing what happens when ugliness appears. Do Americans know how to react? Yes, and it can be beautiful to see.

The background: There has been an alarming spate of anti-Semitic acts this year. The JCC Association of North America has reported waves of telephoned bomb threats to Jewish community centers and schools, including 31 incidents on Feb. 27. Last month, a Chicago synagogue was vandalized, as were Jewish cemeteries in suburban St. Louis and Philadelphia. On Thursday, a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., was desecrated.

Jews are worried. They are a minority fully integrated into American life, yet they feel vulnerable because the scourge of anti-Semitism remains. Fear of terror attacks — in Europe, but here, too — is ever-present. For Jews, when something bad happens it’s never an isolated incident but part of a long history of being targeted. That’s why the reaction by other Americans to anti-Semitism is important: Would the Jewish sense of isolation be affirmed, or might it be counteracted?

We hope the Jewish community is feeling supported. In reaction to the desecration in Missouri, two Muslim activists sought to raise $20,000 in donations among Muslims through a crowdfunding website — and reached their goal in three hours. With Philadelphia also in mind, their effort to help repair damaged headstones passed $150,000 and is still going. “We extend our deepest condolences to all those who have been affected and to the Jewish community at large,” the crowdfunding site said.

When cleanup efforts were organized in Philadelphia, dozens of volunteers turned up, among them a Catholic landscaper. A local Fraternal Order of Police lodge gave money. At the St. Louis-area cemetery cleanup, Gov. Eric Greitens, who is Jewish, was joined by Vice President Mike Pence. On social media, where you never know if you’ll see more good or nastiness, a Chicago-area Marine veteran who is Muslim volunteered to stand guard at any synagogue or Jewish cemetery. Tayyib Rashid’s tweet went viral; other Muslims joined his offer.

Many Jews were touched. As objects of hatred, they share space with Muslims — and can respond similarly:

In Florida, after an arson fire caused property damage at the Islamic Society of New Tampa, it was the Jewish community that stepped up. After Adeel Karim launched a fund to pay for repairs at the mosque, he was puzzled by some donations, which were in multiples of 18. Then he realized these Jewish contributors were giving gifts according to their custom because in Jewish numerology the word for 18 signifies “life.” Karim wrote on Facebook: “The Jewish faith has shown up in force to support our New Tampa Islamic community. I’m floored.”

There will never be a satisfying explanation for why some people victimize others over their identity. We are all “others” in a diverse nation, yet certain groups face harassment. It’s reprehensible. Law enforcement response is crucial, as are denunciations by political leaders.

But what also counts are the symbolic gestures by individuals — little acts of the heart that confirm our better nature. After someone fired a projectile through the window of a synagogue in Evansville, Ind., the local Islamic society wrote on Feb 28: “We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters against religious intolerance. We pray for your safety and ask God to protect us all from such injustices.”

The best measure of American values is not when some among us behave poorly. It’s when the rest of us stand together.