New Program Will Help Participants Create Meaningful Shabbat Dinner Practices 

(Austin, Texas.) – OneTable, a North American non-profit best known for empowering young adults to build community and connection through Shabbat dinner, is launching a new program aimed at older adults in Austin. With the support of Shalom Austin, the hub of Jewish life in Central Texas, OneTable Together invites those 50ish+ to visit gettogether.onetable.org, a web-based platform dedicated to connecting people for dinners and assisting them in creating their own Shabbat practices. 

“Austin has such a great, vibrant Jewish community,” noted Amy Bebchick, the organization’s chief program officer. “We’ve been thinking about how we could support it for a long time, and especially since October 7 we know that people everywhere are seeking community. We’re grateful that Shalom Austin has made it possible for us to launch OneTable Together here and help provide older adults with the community and connection they’re looking for.” 

Interested community members can become Shabbat dinner hosts (or guests) via gettogether.onetable.org. After creating an account, all are free to post a dinner and invite others to join them, or search for dinners to attend as guests. All registered participants join the OneTable community flourishing across the U.S. and Toronto, and have access to personalized support via OneTable team members, on demand DIY tools, and wide-ranging Jewish learning resources. 

“We’re here to help anyone thinking about creating a Shabbat practice actually take the steps to do it,” said Susan Salzman, director of OneTable Together. “Whether they had a practice growing up, or while they were raising a family, or never in their life, we’re here to help them identify what they need from Shabbat for this time in their lives. I can’t wait to see even more Jewish joy spread across Austin!”

“We’re excited to offer more targeted opportunities for our 50+ community members. This is a great model for peer-led engagement and will provide all the support that an individual needs to have meaningful Shabbat experiences,” said Alachua Haskins, Shalom Austin senior engagement director.

If you are interested in hosting a Shabbat dinner, a weekly welcome call is held each Wednesday to meet members of the OneTable Together team, ask questions, and learn more about the hosting experience. Register for a call today! 

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OneTable is a North American non-profit empowering people who don’t yet have a consistent Shabbat dinner practice to build one that feels authentic, sustainable, and valuable. OneTable was initially funded to support people aged 21-39ish to find and share this powerful experience, and is expanding to include those 50ish+ via OneTable Together. Learn more at gettogether.onetable.org.

Shalom Austin is the hub of Jewish life in Central Texas and consists of four main branches. The Jewish Federation, Dell Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Service and Jewish Foundation work together to comprehensively address the needs of Austin’s Jewish community in collaboration with area congregations, schools and community organizations. Through its cultural values, Shalom Austin provides services and resources to connect, empower and impact community locally, nationally and worldwide. Its mission is to build a vibrant Jewish community throughout greater Austin, connected to Jewish life in Israel and the world. To learn more, visit: shalomaustin.org.