Research & Evaluation

Since the inception of OneTable, we have conducted weekly internal evaluation of our resources, program, and platform. Additionally, we invest in wide-reaching quantitative, as well as deep-dive qualitative, research that we use to remain participant-centered.

Impact Study

Late in 2021, OneTable worked with Benenson Strategy Group (BSG) to field a study of 3,000 Jewish young adults, both OneTable participants and a comparison group, to understand our organization’s impact and map the relationship between OneTable and its participants.

A red, circular graph with outlines of people in the middle, that says "75%" in the middle

 

Among other key findings, we discovered that an overwhelming majority of participants stated that because of OneTable, they are celebrating Shabbat when they wouldn’t have otherwise and that’s especially true of participants who did not have a regular Shabbat practice growing up. 

 

We offer this research to share how Shabbat is transforming young adults across the country – a time that’s for slowing down, being in community, and deepening connection to Judaism. As we have seen for generations, and Ahad Ha’am beautifully summarized, “More than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” We invite you to join us in this work to support and inspire the current generations of Jewish young adults.

Read the full OneTable 2021 Impact Survey, Benenson Strategy Group

Partner With Us

Interested in collaborating with the OneTable team for consulting & thought partnership in your own research projects?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!

Our Research Ethos

Human-centered design is at the core of OneTable. We begin with relationship-building to ground our work in the experience of the people we serve. It is crucial to our mission that each person feels respected and comes to all OneTable-associated spaces with their best intentions.

This applies not only to the Shabbat dinner table, but in how we conduct our research. We ask participants questions to learn more about who they are, what they’re looking for from OneTable, and how OneTable supports their Jewish identity and community building. We ask  questions that feel good to answer. 

When we fielded research at the beginning of COVID (April 2020), almost every brand and business had been communicating how they were handling the COVID threat, but few were checking in on how their community was doing. We wanted to know, how is our OneTable community coping during this crisis? What do you need most right now? How can we support you? So, we asked and learned about how to help our community find meaning and connection during an isolating and challenging time.

“I loved being able to connect with others and share the beautiful evening of Shabbat. I always see lighting the candles as a way to bring light into the home, and I think OneTable is another way to bring more light into the world by bringing people together to enjoy Shabbat.” 

– OneTable Impact Survey Response, 12/2021

Research Advisory Board

Interested in joining our Research Advisory Board? Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!

To bolster high-quality national research and evaluation, OneTable launched a Research Advisory Board in spring 2019. This group provides strategic advice and direction to OneTable regarding high-level organizational research and evaluation activities. 

Their mission includes: acting as a sounding board for OneTable research and evaluation activities; assisting in setting the strategic direction for OneTable’s research instruments and evaluation; and keeping OneTable apprised of new research and evaluation techniques and practices in the field at large.

Gage Gorsky, Research Advisory Board member

GAGE GORSKY is a queer mixed Mexican Jewish multimodal research advisor, data analyst, and program evaluator. They have a doctorate in Educational Measurement and Statistics from the University of Washington, where their research inquiry bridged social science themes to explore the intersections of identity and math achievement.

In 2020, they helped lead “Beyond the Count,” the largest ever study of Jews of Color released August 2021. They currently serve as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Graduate School of Education, concentration in Jewish Studies, at Stanford University.

Headshot photo of Rella Kaplowitz

RELLA KAPLOWITZ* is the Senior Program Officer for Evaluation and Learning at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Rella holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and is a Six Sigma Green Belt.

Rella is also the author of the Schusterman Foundation’s Data Playbook, an online resource for organizations looking to enhance their use of data for decision-making and storytelling.

Tova Katz

TOVA KATZ* joined the One8 Foundation in 2012 to work on the Foundation’s Israel and Jewish life portfolio as their Portfolio Manager. Tova earned a BA in history from Columbia University and is a Wexner Graduate Fellow and Davidson Scholar. 

Tova also received her MBA from Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management in 2012. Prior to that, she spent four years at the Foundation for Jewish Camp.

ARIELLE LEVITES, PHD is the managing director at CASJE (the Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education). Her research focuses on contemporary American Jewish education.

She holds a BA from Brown University in Religious Studies, a MSEd in Religious Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from NYU in Education and Jewish Studies.

Michael Rubel is wearing a tan button-down shirt. His hair is dirty blonde and chin-length.

MICHAEL RUBEL is product manager for Carefull, a software company working to defend older adults against frauds, scams, and money mistakes. He is also founder of Schmutz, a Jewish food brand serving up the first everyday haroset. Previously, Michael worked at innovation strategy firm Fahrenheit 212, where he developed new products for brands like Oreo, Estée Lauder, and Panasonic. He holds a BA in Political Science, with a concentration in Jewish Studies, from Williams College.

Headshot photo of Eli Schaap

ELI SCHAAP* is a Senior Vice President at The Steinhardt Foundation For Jewish Life. He has conducted action research and published several articles on the culture of employment, recruitment, and retention of Jewish educators, on early childhood Jewish education, and on institutional finances.

Previously, he worked as a consultant to several national Jewish organizations and also served as the Associate Executive Director of CAJE. 

Photo of Barbara Schneider sitting at a table with shelves of books behind her

BARBARA SCHNEIDER, PHD is the John A. Hannah Chair University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education and Department of Sociology at Michigan State University.

Barbara has published 19 books and over 100 refereed journal articles. She is the past President of the American Educational Research Association, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a fellow in the National Academy of Education. 

A headshot of Jake Sullivan, OneTable Research Advisory Board member

JAKE SULLIVAN is a freelance mixed methods researcher and design thinking practitioner. He holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from Cambridge University and has conducted human-centered research on behalf of clients including Nike and Intel.

Jake builds young adult Jewish community as a OneTable host and Moishe House Without Walls host, and contributes to an understanding of the changing landscape of spiritual and community life for Gen Z as a researcher with Springtide Research Institute.

* Denotes “Key Observer” status

Latest News

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Support OneTable

OneTable is establishing Shabbat as a valuable practice for a generation of young Jews. Help us set the table for more participants and invest in research today with your gift.

Connect

Connect with our Research team!

Julia Logan Labow, MSEd (she/her)
Director, Impact + Learning
julialogan@onetable.org | 847-220-4461‬

Anne Prusky (she/her)
Senior Development Manager, Data +Research
annie@onetable.org | 202-430-5450

More Research

Read more about our other research here:

Alone, Less Lonely – Jamie Betesh Carter of Designing Empathy + Julia Logan Labow of OneTable | February 2021

Coronavirus Impact Study – Benenson Strategy Group | May 2020

Rhythm, Relationship, Reckoning – Sacred Design Lab, Jamie Betesh Carter of Designing Empathy, and OneTable | May 2020

Beyond ScaleRosov Consulting, October 2017. For the full report, check out “Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

OneTable’s Logic Model