Andrew Guckes | Staff Writer
OneTable, a nonprofit that builds community amongst young professional-age Jews by facilitating Shabbat dinners, announced that its Philadelphia location is launching a new program that caters to older adults.
OneTable Together is a peer-to-peer platform that essentially joins together Jews of all ages for Shabbat celebrations. The new program has already been running in three American cities, and OneTable’s chief program officer Amy Bebchick said that older adults going through life transitions have really appreciated the initiative, as have Jews in general post-Oct. 7.
“The Jewish Federations of North America as well as a number of Jewish communities have done their own local studies and found that, in addition to loneliness, many of those 50 years and older are disengaged from the Jewish community. These two challenges were driving forces for the creation of OneTable 10 years ago, so it was a natural expansion for us,” Bebchick said.
Notably, OneTable’s Shabbats are not related to any one denomination. Current programming is aimed at the 21 to 39 demographic, while the new OneTable Together program will be marketed to those 50 and older. Bebchick said that the goal is to help people grow closer to Judaism in whatever way they feel comfortable doing so. The participants come from all sorts of Jewish backgrounds, and Bebchick said the organization’s ultimate goal of inspiring Shabbat in Jewish households means that people will be free to shape the holiday how they want to.
All of this has created a recipe for success.
“We know that OneTable works: 75% of our young-adult participants say that it’s because of OneTable that they are celebrating Shabbat. A third have sought out new Jewish organizations and more than 75% of our participants say that they’ve become closer with people and feel less lonely after participating in a OneTable dinner,” Bebchick said.
She said that a traditional, ritual-focused gathering will likely appeal to older Jews, too. The nature of the celebrations might be different, however, she said. The market research that they did into adult and elderly Jews shows that that demographic isn’t as attracted by the promise of an organization that lowers the barrier to cost or provides a much needed physical space as their younger counterparts.
“We found that [older participants] like a good bottle of wine or flowers, or even the chance to donate something back to the younger participants,” she said.
And, of course, the older group requires a different timeline than the standard young professional crowd.
“Our young adults generally post their dinner [schedules] by Tuesday for a Friday dinner,” Bebchick said. “With our OneTable Together hosts, we are finding that they like to plan a bit further out, so we are working to make sure that all of our messaging takes that into consideration.”
There have been 150 OneTable Together dinners held across the country to date. In just the first year, the feedback has been overwhelming. Bebchick said that one older woman said that the event inspired her own daughter to not only use the platform but also reintroduce Shabbat into her life.
Susan Salzman, director of the new program, said that there are many examples of the organization leading the charge on an important initiative.
“We love for all of our OneTable Together participants to elevate their Friday nights. OneTable has been at the forefront of making Shabbat dinner accessible and welcoming for over a decade. I’m thrilled that older adults in Philadelphia can now participate,” she said in a news release.
Dr. Kelly Romirowsky, chief strategy and impact officer at the Jewish Federation, added in the release that the new program, combined with the old one, will unite the Jewish community of Philadelphia to a greater degree.
“The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is thrilled to support the expansion of OneTable Together in our community. Shabbat dinner has long been a cornerstone of Jewish life, offering an opportunity to build meaningful connections, foster tradition and create a sense of belonging. By lowering barriers to entry into Jewish life, this initiative empowers individuals to create personalized Shabbat practices that are both authentic and meaningful,” she said. “Through local events, partnerships and resources, OneTable Together ensures that Shabbat remains an accessible and vibrant tradition for many across Greater Philadelphia.”
More information can be obtained at gettogether.onetable.org or by contacting Salzman at [email protected].