Introduction

Published in 2022, the data reflect 2,000 OneTable participants and an 800 person comparison group composed of other Jewish young adults who had not used OneTable. 

Not surprisingly, survey findings show young Jews actively seeking social connection at Shabbat dinner. From that simple starting point, the data reveals:

• deeper ties to community and Jewish identity, 
• and mitigated loneliness. 

In other words, they come for the connections, and stay for the intention.

The social and emotional components of a OneTable dinner are every bit as important as the traditional ritual – and to many participants, they are intrinsically tied together, unlocking particular Jewish behavioral and identity outcomes.

What follows is a summary of the findings that we think will be most helpful to the field. We are eager to talk with you about how to apply these findings to your work.

Highlights

I found my way to OneTable because I had no idea where to start when it comes to Shabbat and I don’t want to be judged. And then, this past year I did High Holidays for the first time since I was a child. I’m looking for a non-judgmental Jewish community outside of a synagogue setting who can allow me to participate in my lost Jewish heritage while still learning myself.

– OneTable host

Research Findings

OneTable is making Shabbat dinner accessible and meaningful for participants. They:

• Celebrate Shabbat more than other Jewish young adults.
• About 1-in-4 say that they’ve adopted new Jewish rituals or practices since their first dinner.
• Nearly 1-in-3 have sought out new Jewish organizations or communities.
• Crave connection, and create them through OneTable dinners.
• Come for the connections, and stay for the intention.
• Are more attuned to social issues.
• Are grateful to have OneTable as a safe place to gather around difficult issues.
• Report that OneTable helps alleviate loneliness.

OneTable has given me the opportunity to explore what Shabbat means to me and has forever created a positive impact by opening my world to endless possibilities of connecting to Shabbat in a spirited, social and religious way.

— OneTable host

Background + Methodology

We know that current events impact the way that Jewish young adults engage with OneTable. The global COVID-19 pandemic, the eruption of violence between Israelis and Palestinians in late May 2021, and Pew’s “Jewish Americans in 2020” influenced our research. 

In late 2021, with guidance from OneTable’s Research Advisory Board, Benenson Strategy Group (BSG) fielded a quantitative study focused on attitudes and behaviors with nearly 3,000 respondents, including a comparison group of Jewish young adults who had never participated in OneTable.

Where Do We Go From Here?

We are only scratching the surface.

This research endeavor has also been an opportunity to learn about where we have room for growth. 

We learned…that both hosting and “guesting” are impactful experiences, but that hosting leads to a more significant impact. This finding holds even after accounting for the fact that hosts generally have more Jewish experience than guests. This is likely due to the stronger sense of agency hosts have over their Shabbat experiences. SO… In addition to encouraging more people to become hosts, we are developing ways to ensure that guests experience a strong sense of agency, too.

We learned…that our community is large and diverse, and we have an opportunity to serve more people from interfaith backgrounds, engage with more men, and serve even more people who are not otherwise engaged in Jewish life. SO… We are developing outreach strategies to better serve the fullest spectrum of young adult Jews.

We learned…that while few of the comparison sample had familiarity with OneTable, after reading a brief description, two-in-three young Jews reported interest both in learning more and attending a dinner. We saw especially high interest from potential participants who live i]n the South and Midwest. More work needs to be done to ensure that young adults in all regions of the U.S. have access to meaningful Jewish community. SO… We seek philanthropic investments to build our capacity in smaller cities in these target regions.