Resetting the Table: Helping Communities Help Themselves

Since October 7th, Jewish communities are experiencing vast challenges, including navigating internal political differences as well as facing tensions and animosity in coalitions, on campuses, and beyond. Resetting the Table, which builds societal capacity for communication and collaboration across charged political divides, has been flooded with unprecedented need and demand from Hillels, camps, young adult organizations, and Federations, as well as from higher education administrations, workplaces, and institutions outside the Jewish community. To support leaders in these settings, Resetting the Table has multiplied its trainings, resources, and facilitated forums to help people de-escalate tensions, talk to rather than past each other, and strengthen lines of relationship, learning, and collaboration across their differences.

I feel so much more equipped not only to facilitate dialogue sessions, but also to generally be better at dealing with disagreements that come up in a professional (and even personal) setting. At first glance, it would be easy for a skeptic to write off Resetting the Table as wishy-washy, trite, or ‘both-sidesy.’ But that couldn’t be further from the truth—our fellowship was rigorous, deeply thoughtful, and rooted in a clear understanding of both psychological and social realities.
— Aaron, rabbinical student, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and Rabbinic Intern, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale

Among RTT’s offerings, its intensive training programs for Jewish professionals have expanded significantly since October 7th, equipping Jewish leaders and professionals across the country with skills to respond to flashpoint moments, build proactive relationships across lines of difference, strengthen Israel engagement, counter antisemitism, and build healthier and more resilient communities. RTT’s methodology is one of the most robust and effective approaches for facilitating challenging conversations in the country, recognized as best-in-class both within and beyond the Jewish world. By working closely with strategic partners such as Hillel International, Jews of Color Initiative, Foundation for Jewish Camp, rabbinical schools, Federations, BBYO, OneTable, Repair the World, Honeymoon Israel, and others, RTT is building a national field of trained facilitators and coaches to support productive discussion and inquiry on Israel and other important issues across Jewish life.

The training with Resetting the Table has been transformational for me. We were taught practical and impactful skills and given the space and tools to practice them. When we were first told to engage with people across difference, I realized that I had already anticipated another leader’s stance. But once we actually started, it turns out their opinion was as nuanced as mine and we grew not only in our understanding of the issue, but in our relationship to one another.
— Rori, Maharat, Senior Vice President for Community Relations, JCPA and former Executive Director, JCRC of St. Louis

More than 4,100 participants from the Jewish community have engaged with RTT this year, including more than 1,900 unique Jewish educators, rabbis, Hillel professionals, and lay leaders positioned to reach tens of thousands more. Post-program evaluation shows that Jewish leaders become more confident and capable of leading tough conversations within their own communities and beyond, applying their learnings internally to build communal cohesion and healing, and also externally to strengthen relationships with other communities in this challenging time. In longitudinal interviews and surveys, 95 percent of alumni reported continuing to use RTT tools and skills one to ten years after participating in a program, with majorities reporting they used RTT tools to navigate differences on Israel; to address tensions post-Oct 7^th; to combat antisemitism; to support their constituents to speak and listen to each other better; to engage new, skeptical, and resistant audiences; and to foster an environment of communal cohesion and resilience.

Given the tensions on college campuses, RTT’s partnership with Hillel has been especially important. Special training programs for Hillel staff—including facilitation training for mid-to-senior career Hillel professionals as well as early-career Hillel professionals—helped them facilitate student experiences to strengthen relationships and understanding across differences in this difficult year. Hillel International reports that next to increased security, Hillel professionals describe the tools RTT provides as their greatest need. Participating professionals were equipped with communication tools that helped them support Jewish students to feel less anxiety and trepidation when talking about Israel, antisemitism, and other charged topics; offer programs where Jewish students can feel safe to express what they’re experiencing and feel more strongly connected to Jewish life and to each other even across strongly differing perspectives; build trust with students who have felt alienated from Hillel in the past or during this time due to political differences; and navigate inter-group relationship-building with administrators, DEI departments, and non-Jewish student groups. As a result, on campuses where RTT has trained Hillel professionals over the past several years, students report relief and gratitude for the space to share their experiences and views on Israel and other tough issues, and to listen to their peers in turn. Hillel professionals report new and different students participating in Hillel programs, and improved relationships between Jewish and non-Jewish students even during moments of escalation

“There [are] an abundance of resources out there to [address] challenges that are focused outward, but there are very few focused inward [on Jewish students]… How can we ever expect students to have respectful, authentic conversations with folks they disagree with outside of the Jewish community, if we can’t do so within the Jewish community? That’s really our focus, our north star, and I believe it’s one of the reasons our Israel campus climate is a positive one.”
– Jenna, Executive Director, Queens College Hillel

Resetting the Table’s framework and tools were specifically designed to overcome the toxic discourse unfolding around us today—splintering coalitions, campuses, workplaces, and communities alike. This framework—crucial long before October 7th—will be ever more important to engage the next generation, combat polarization and hate, and ensure the resiliency of the Jewish community for years to come. RTT gives leaders the tools to address their deepest challenges while holding the difficulty and pain, building communal solidarity and care, and learning from people’s differences. With this approach, political differences evolve from a source of tension, anxiety, and alienation into an engine of communal health and cohesion.

The Jim Joseph Foundation is a supporter of Resetting the Table. Visit resettingthetable.org URL for more information.