OneTable promotes the Jewish community for people over 50

OneTable Together is piloting a program to introduce residents ages 50 and older to Atlanta, Palm Beach, Florida. and Greater Denver, Colorado.

When OneTable was founded, it found that the most disengaged Jews were in their 20s and 30s. They decided to solve the problem using a web platform. It allows hosts to choose how many people they can accommodate (from 4 to 40), what type of event it will be (from casual to traditional), what type of food will be served (vegan, kosher or meat-based) and in what form. what style (sharing or complete restoration).

Once the event is created, attendees register through the same system. In Atlanta, OneTable Together hosted 10 dinners with 62 attendees.

Nationwide, OneTable has hosted nearly 140,000 Shabbat dinners with 1 million seats at the table. Last year, the website had 83,000 unique users.

Still, they wanted to expand. During the pandemic, OneTable stakeholders hired a consulting firm to answer the question: Who else could benefit from this model?

“What we found was that those over 50 were suffering from an epidemic of loneliness,” said Susan Salzman, director of OneTable Together.

By 2030, 24 percent of Atlanta-area residents are projected to be 60 and older, according to the Area Agency on Aging.

“There are many layers to the 50-and-older community,” Salzman said. “Empty nesters. Maybe someone has lost a loved one, a divorce, a transplant. You have a lot of transplants in Atlanta. These are people who have disconnected from synagogue or institutional life as they knew it.”

Salzman, who has worked with the senior community for 15 years, said she felt her own disconnect as her children grew up and moved away.

“Personally, I wouldn’t say I lost my community, but I lost it as I knew it and I was alone. Others are looking for a way to reenter the Jewish community, and not necessarily by joining a synagogue,” Salzman said.

Salzman is based in Los Angeles, so it’s no surprise to learn that she recently attended a Shabbat meditation and that her friend is planning a Shabbat dinner cooking class. There’s always a creative way to bring people together, she says.

OneTable Together supports Atlanta hosts by providing ritual guides and resources like a bottle of wine or gift card. The organization also donates $10 per RSVP to the young adult program, “further supporting the young adults we need, and who need it as much as we do,” Salzman added.

On June 28, the Marcus Jewish Community Center and OneTable are hosting a senior dinner called “Shabbat Around Town” at Zafron in Sandy Springs. Make a reservation here.