Written by Scott Bratt, OneTable Colorado Hub Manager

Photos by Britton Murrey, Unbound Photographic

Last Friday we launched a community-wide initiative called the OneTable Colorado Passbook. From the brilliant mind of Cintra Pollack–a OneTable strategic planner and influential community member–the Passbook is full of Friday night dinner inspiration, promotions for local organizations and businesses, and info about OneTable. The purpose of the Passbook is to strengthen the OneTable Colorado community, generate new and creative Shabbat dinners, bring in new OneTable hosts and guests, and, most importantly, promote all of the Jewish young adult organizations together in one space.

While it began as a way to get the word out about OneTable, it didn’t take long to realize that the real strength of this initiative was the community aspect. Only in Colorado could a newbie like myself garner the interest and buy-in of twenty-six local organizations and businesses without any resistance. I was met with overwhelming support and generosity.   

With help from OneTable Coach and consultant, Elyssa Hammerman, our designer Mischa Kregstein, and Josh Dinar, creator of the Dining Out Passbook (from which we borrowed the idea), the book slowly took shape. We worked tirelessly to make sure each page was up to the standards of the organizations and restaurants, and we traversed obstacles and roadblocks until, finally, the book was complete.

Last Friday marked the culmination of all of our hard work and shined light on the beauty of this Colorado community. We enjoyed appetizers and margaritas sponsored by Blue Bonnet, make-your-own poke sponsored by Motomaki, challah baked by OneTable coaches and partners, dessert made by the Denver Moishe House and, of course, more than enough wine. Guests ate, drank, mingled, and generously listened as I ran through the Passbook and all the organizations that made it happen. It was a community-wide experience, made possible by the community, and enjoyed by the community.  

To me, Shabbat dinner is an aggregator. At the Shabbat dinner table, good food, good friends, and good wine are brought together to elevate our daily norm. We put down our phones, turn off Netflix, and share in each other’s company, which is an all-too-rare and precious thing in this world. It’s certainly easy to quantify success with metrics–attendees, dinners, new hosts, new partnerships–but I’ve learned that real impact goes beyond data. It resides in community, relationships, experiences. This is what I believe the true mission of OneTable to be, and this past Friday was a poetic macrocosm of what we’re trying to create. The guests at this huge Shabbat table were representative of our community, its organizations, and its businesses, together sharing the majesty that is turning off and tuning into each other.

Part of the Colorado community and weren’t able to attend? Email me to set up a time to pick up your free Passbook!