2021 Impact Report by OneTable

2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

CONTENTS

About the Research

Research Advisory Board

Key Findings

The OneTable Story

Who Are OneTable Guests and Hosts?

Understanding Formerly Active Participants

Difficult Issues at the Dinner Table

Going Deeper: OneTable’s Impact

Expanding OneTable’s Reach

Recommendations and Opportunities

Methodology, Process, and Sample

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ABOUT THE RESEARCH

About the research This research began with the goal of undertaking a deep, wide-ranging study of OneTable participants to understand the organization’s impact. This work began with the following objectives: ✓ Develop a broad and deep understanding of participants: who they are; the identities, values, and attitudes that are important to them; and what brings them to OneTable. ✓ Understand and quantify OneTable’s impact. This study aimed to identify the ways in which OneTable is contributing to positive change in participants’ lives, including Shabbat and Jewish practices, social connection, and emotional and mental wellbeing. ✓ Map the relationship between OneTable and its participants. Finally, this research was used to understand differences between OneTable participants across engagement levels, exploring motivations for attending/hosting, barriers to engagement, and experiences of formerly active participants. After delays due to COVID-19, the survey ultimately fielded from Nov. 4 to Dec. 16, 2021.

Key audiences and definitions Throughout this study, we worked with the OneTable team to stratify participants into discrete categories based on prior engagement. These categories informed survey design, sampling, weighting, and analysis throughout this report. After fielding, responses were weighted to match several estimated characteristics of the eligible universe of OneTable participants. Below are definitions for the primary groups of analysis referred to throughout this report: ✓

Active Hosts (n=748): OneTable participants who have hosted at least one dinner since Oct. 2020. ✓ Of them, 606 have also attended at least one dinner as a guest at any point and 142 have only ever hosted.

✓

Active Guests (n=736): OneTable participants who have attended at least one dinner since Oct. 2020 but have never hosted any OneTable dinners.

✓

Formerly Active Participants (n=454): OneTable participants who have not attended or hosted any dinners since earlier than Oct. 2020. In order to keep response rates viable and ensure that this group of respondents retained some familiarity with OneTable, invitations were only extended to participants whose most recent OneTable dinner occurred no earlier than Jan. 1, 2018. ✓ Of them, 158 have hosted at least one dinner at any point, and 296 have only ever attended dinners as guests. Of the 158 hosts, 139 have also attended as guests; 19 have only hosted.

✓

Comparison Sample (n=814): Jewish young adults ages 21-44, sampled and weighted to be nationally representative, not necessarily representative of OneTable participants. Most had never participated in a OneTable dinner. Respondents were recruited via online panel.

In some parts of this report, active and inactive participants are combined for analysis. In these situations, hosts are defined as any participants who have hosted at least one dinner, and guests are defined as any participants who have never hosted any dinners.

More detail on the methodology, process, and sample can be found at the end of the report.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

RESEARCH ADVISORY BOARD

OneTable research is guided by our Research Advisory Board, a group that provides strategic advice and direction to OneTable regarding high-level organizational research and evaluation activities. They are academics in the cross-section between emerging adulthood and spiritual engagement; market research experts in community building, habit formation, motivation, learning, and identity; and leaders in creative problem solving and data-driven solutions. • Gage Gorsky, PhD, multimodal research advisor, data analyst, and program evaluator • Rella Kaplowitz, Senior Program Officer for Evaluation and Learning at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. • Tova Katz, Senior Portfolio Manager at One8 Foundation • Jamie Betesh Carter, Strategic Research Consultant • Eli Schaap, Senior Vice President at The Steinhardt Foundation For Jewish Life. • Barbara Schneider, PhD, John A. Hannah Chair University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education and Department of Sociology at Michigan State University • Jake Sullivan, former researcher at Nike • Arielle Levites, PhD, managing director at CASJE (the Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education)

ABOUT THIS RESEARCH There is a major, powerful story here...you can’t take away from the facts of these powerful numbers. This is excellent work and OneTable staff should feel good about the way you are filling a very important void in young people’s lives."

Barbara Schneider, John A. Hannah Chair University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education and Department of Sociology at Michigan State University

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

KEY FINDINGS

OneTable successfully establishes Shabbat as a valuable practice for a generation of young Jews. 75% of OneTable participants say they are celebrating Shabbat when they otherwise wouldn’t—and more than 40% did not have a regular Shabbat practice before OneTable. Guests and hosts both celebrate Shabbat more often today than they did before OneTable.

The OneTable experience drives interest in new Jewish practices, rituals, and organizations. Since their first OneTable dinner, 1 in 3 participants have sought new Jewish rituals, organizations, or communities, and 22% have already integrated a new Jewish ritual into their life. 27% of participants learned more about Jewish rituals or traditions at their OneTable dinner.

OneTable helps participants feel connected to one another, more grounded and relaxed, and less lonely. Half of participants said they left Shabbat dinner feeling more grounded and relaxed, and more than 1-in-3 participants have spent time outside of OneTable with someone they met at dinner. Plus, OneTable participants report fewer feelings associated with loneliness than the comparison sample of other Jewish young adults.

OneTable helps participants develop their own Shabbat practice. While many stick with the platform for several years, among those who are no longer active, 57% still celebrate Shabbat regularly—they just do so outside of OneTable. And while they are celebrating elsewhere, they continue to hold very positive feelings toward the platform. For formerly active participants, the pandemic has been the biggest cause of inactivity; most of them are likely to return with time.

OneTable has been vital to helping young Jews through the pandemic, and the past two years have expanded what they get out of Shabbat. More than 80% of participants say Shabbat has helped them deal with the difficulties of the pandemic. 3-in-4 say they have found new benefits of Shabbat they hadn’t thought about before, and more than half have found new rituals and benefits they will carry forward in their lives.

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The OneTable story

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable participants represent a diverse swath of Jewish young adults, bringing a range of identities, backgrounds, and experiences to the dinner table Across nearly 2,000 responses, OneTable participants revealed the broad and diverse set of identities of both guests and hosts: in terms of their Judaism, gender identity, geographic location, and racial and ethnic background, among much, much more.

Among them: • 27% identify as Reform only • 25% say they are “just Jewish” only • 19% identify as Conservative only • 13% identify with multiple denominations • 8% identify as Orthodox only • 8% identify with another denomination

90%

90% of OneTable participants identify as Jewish*

61%

61% of OneTable participants identify as women; 33% identify as men, and 6% identify as non-binary, gender fluid, genderqueer, agender, or two-spirit.

56%

56% of OneTable participants are single and have never been married; 29% are married, engaged, or in a domestic partnership; 10% are not married but live with a partner.

23%

23% of OneTable participants identify with a racial or ethnic background other than “white only,” including 21% of Jewish participants.

16+

Cities represented by OneTable participants in the survey, with New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area the most common.

*Note: survey questions that asked specifically about Jewish practice or experience were asked only of OneTable participants who identify as Jewish.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

Connecting with friends and family is the most meaningful experience for participants, more than religion or cultural background Before focusing specifically on their experience with OneTable, the survey asked respondents about their lives in general— and the people, settings, activities that bring them meaning and fulfillment. The results showed that OneTable participants derive fulfillment from a range of sources—but none more so than spending time with family and friends. Three-in-four OneTable participants, including both guests and hosts, get a “great deal” of meaning from spending time with family and friends, by far the two highest selections. In hierarchy of importance, this aligns with the responses of the Jewish young adult comparison sample; but spending time with friends is even more important to OneTable participants. In comparison, two items directly related to the OneTable experience—”cultural” activities and religious faith—are a relatively small part of what brings fulfillment to OneTable participants and to Jewish young adults in the comparison sample. These findings are in line with other studies of Jewish young adults, such as the Pew Research Center’s 2020 study of Jewish Americans. This finding validates the OneTable model: merging overtly Jewish experiences with deep and fulfilling social connection. The latter is essential to bringing young Jews fulfillment in day-to-day life; it is also a vital part of OneTable’s appeal and success, as this report will demonstrate. The powerful social and emotional components of OneTable dinner are every bit as important as the Jewish experiences—and to many participants, they are intrinsically tied together. How much meaning and fulfillment, if any, does each of the following provide you? Among OneTable participants; % who say “a great deal” All Hosts

83 77

Jewish young adult comparison sample

All Guests

60 52 43 36

36 29

Spending time with friends

Spending time with family

Participating in activities associated with my cultural background(s)

My religious faith

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable participants hail from a diverse variety of Jewish backgrounds and experiences Many Jewish OneTable participants had several Jewish experiences growing up, such as having a bar or bat mitzvah, attending Jewish summer camp, or attending Hebrew school for at least some of their childhood. The rate of participation in these experiences is higher among hosts than guests. Most hosts and guests alike have had more of those Jewish experiences than the comparison group. This is partially driven by differences in the two populations; a higher proportion of Jewish young adults in the comparison sample do not identify with a particular denomination of Judaism and grew up doing fewer “Jewish things.” Meanwhile, OneTable participants were more likely to celebrate Shabbat and observe Jewish holidays regularly growing up. This aligns with research suggesting childhood Jewish experiences lead to production of Jewish experiences as an adult. But the survey results show these Jewish experiences are far from universal in the OneTable population. About one-third of Jewish participants have not had a b’nai, bar, or bat mitzvah; nearly half did not celebrate Shabbat with any regularity growing up. OneTable facilitates Jewish experiences among those with all kinds of backgrounds—and as data later in the report will demonstrate, OneTable leads to increases in Shabbat practice and Jewish experience today, even among those who did fewer Jewish things growing up. Which of the following apply to you and your Jewish experience? Among Jewish OneTable participants and Jewish young adult comparison sample All Hosts

All Guests

Jewish young adult comparison sample

Including the 4 below, respondents were asked about their participation in 8 kinds of Jewish experiences. OneTable participants had engaged in an average of 4 each, compared to 3 each among young Jews in the comparison sample.

76 71 66

63 56

50 45

50 42

41 29

Had a B'nai, Bar, or Bat Mitzvah

Attended Hebrew school or religious school

Went to Jewish summer camp

Participated in a Jewish youth group in some way Benenson Strategy Group | 9

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

Regardless of background, most first-time participants sign up for dinner because they’re looking for a Jewish experience and the chance to connect with their peers Respondents were asked to select all the reasons why they attended their first OneTable dinner and then the most important reason. Across hosts and guests, the top reason is the same: Participants see OneTable as an opportunity to participate in something Jewish. This is just as true of those with fewer Jewish experiences growing up as of those with many. “It’s such a nice way to connect— In small groups, in safe spaces, intentionally spending time doing something Jewish.” – Active Host

The chance to connect is also very motivating, especially for guests. They’re eager to meet new people and experience a social environment like a Shabbat dinner. A nudge or invitation from a friend can be a gateway to a new dimension of their Jewish experience.

“[It’s so special] to spend time with friends, but also the friends of my friends. It’s a chance to meet new people in a safe, like-minded environment.” – Active Guest

Why did you decide to attend your first OneTable dinner?* Hosts

% All reasons

I wanted to participate in something Jewish

I wanted a social environment like Shabbat dinner I wanted to meet new people

% Most impt

I wanted to have deeper, more meaningful conversations

I wanted to feel more grounded and relaxed

% All reasons

% Most impt

Guests I wanted to participate in something Jewish

I wanted to meet new people

I wanted a social environment like Shabbat dinner

It's what my friends were doing

I wanted to meet Jewish people

*Showing top five reasons for hosts and guests; note that while non-Jewish participants also received the full battery of options on this question, their answers were not statistically significantly different from those of Jewish participants.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable successfully balances participants’ interest in traditional rituals and social opportunities—fulfilling the many aspirations that participants have for their dinners There’s significant diversity in the content and activity occurring at dinner. Large majorities engage in traditional rituals—eating challah, saying the blessings, lighting candles—and well over half of participants say they found something in common with another person; 54% met somebody new. Recall that 52% of hosts and 48% of guests came to OneTable for a social environment like a Shabbat dinner; by forming and deepening connections with one another, they are finding the experiences they were looking for. These social components of dinner are just as important to participants as the more explicitly Jewish rituals, and they further serve the Jewish outcomes, too. Recall that OneTable participants find the most meaning and fulfillment from friends and family—rather than just faith or activities associated with religion and culture alone. The fact that OneTable dinners clearly accomplish both, while striking the right balance of Jewish ritual, shows that participants’ initial aspirations for participating in Shabbat are indeed taking place at dinner. Participants are successfully adopting and integrating Jewish ritual in the ways that resonate with them.

88% OF ONETABLE PARTICIPANTS SAY ONETABLE DINNERS HAVE “THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF JEWISH CONTENT”

What OneTable participants did at dinner... % among all OneTable participants Ate challah

Said blessings

Lit candles

Found something in common with another person

Met somebody new

Created a special environment

Got to know an acquaintance better

For many, especially guests, the social outcomes of dinner are just as resonant as the more overtly religious ones.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable helps participants feel connected to their Jewish identity and to one another OneTable participants are having the social and religious experience at dinner that they set out looking for—and the positive effects of those experiences come through clearly as well. Three-in-four participants say that after a OneTable dinner, they felt more connected to their Jewish identity, got closer with people, and felt less lonely. Critically, these positive outcomes extend across all types of OneTable participants—including both hosts and guests with a range of prior Jewish background and experience. Among participants who celebrated Shabbat rarely or never growing up, 72% say that they left feeling more connected to their Jewish identity, compared to 77% among those who celebrated often. High percentages of participants say OneTable dinners have made them feel less lonely, too—including 73% of participants who say they only “some” or “hardly any” of their friends are Jewish. OneTable is facilitating meaningful, shared Jewish experiences for those who have a harder time accessing them. Subsequent pages will explore this critical finding in greater depth.

How well does this describe your experience at OneTable dinner? Among all OneTable participants asked on a 7-point scale, with 1 meaning “does not describe at all” and 7 meaning “describes completely;” showing % who chose 5-7 out of 7 All Hosts

All Guests

Hosts/guests who celebrated Shabbat often growing up 81

Hosts/guests who celebrated Shabbat never/rarely growing up

I felt more connected to my Jewish identity and background

I got closer with people

I felt less lonely

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

Because of OneTable, participants are making Shabbat a part of their lives and celebrating it when they wouldn’t have otherwise The connections and experiences facilitated by OneTable are changing the way participants relate to Shabbat and to Jewishness in their lives. 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 before OneTable. As part of that experience, they’re making new friends, strengthening bonds, and recognizing that Shabbat can be a meaningful part of their lives. For so many, that is the OneTable journey: OneTable fulfills the needs participants have expressed they are looking for—Jewishly, socially, and emotionally--and participants’ lives are better for it. “I love that there were resources from OneTable that we could use for discussion. I love the deep conversations Shabbat allows... [OneTable] makes it easy to celebrate Shabbat in new and different ways.”

“It was incredibly rewarding to have so many people for such an intentional meal. We would never have had a group [like that] without the OneTable support. It was unexpectedly wonderful.”

– Formerly Active Host

– Formerly Active Guest

OneTable Shabbat Outcomes: Because of OneTable, I have... % who agree that this applies to them | Among all OneTable participants Hosts 83

83 76

Guests 77

77 59

% who agree among those who rarely or never celebrated Shabbat before OneTable:

83%

72%

86%

68%

91%

78%

73%

52%

Become closer with people Recognized how easy it is Celebrated Shabbat when I Recognized how important to make Shabbat part of wouldn't have otherwise it is to make Shabbat part my life of my life

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable participants report feeling less lonely than the comparison sample—a testament to the impact of connection at Shabbat dinners In addition to measuring and evaluating OneTable experiences, the survey asked respondents a set of questions adapted from the De Jong Gierveld scale, a measurement of social and emotional loneliness developed by Dutch researchers. Both OneTable participants and the Jewish young adult comparison sample were asked how often they experience several feelings associated with social connection or lack thereof. The study found a profound difference between the two groups: OneTable participants are much less likely to hold feelings and attitudes associated with emotional loneliness than the comparison group. Demographic differences between the two groups do not explain this variation— the pattern holds across nearly every demographic subgroup, including gender, age, relationship status, and Jewish denomination and background. Further, linear regression analysis with these “loneliness” statements as the dependent variable did not clearly identify one factor, such as relationship status or length of time in city, as a clear driver of agreement. While the study cannot conclusively prove whether this difference is due to OneTable, it suggests participants have found connection and meaning some other young Jews may have not—and further demonstrates the importance of providing opportunities for connection and community. “I found a group near me that hosts dinners through OneTable. I often feel lonely on Friday nights, and a OneTable dinner got me out of my apartment and into a new environment with other people. There's a need for connection that gets fulfilled by OneTable dinners.” – Formerly Active Guest

The De Jong Gierveld “Loneliness” Scale: Comparing OneTable participants to Jewish young adult comparison sample | % feel this way “all the time” or “often” Hosts

Guests

Jewish young adult comparison sample

35 30

I experience a general sense of emptiness

Recall: 74% of hosts and 71% of guests say their experience at a OneTable dinner made them feel less lonely.

I often feel rejected

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable's impact extends beyond Shabbat, introducing myriad positive benefits The behavioral outcomes for OneTable participants extend beyond Shabbat. In addition to increasing how often they celebrate Shabbat, OneTable—for guests and hosts—leads to a wide range of new Jewish observance and social behaviors.

Social and emotional outcomes are highly resonant for guests. Nearly 1-in-3 guests met up again with someone they met at dinner, and 73% said that they “got closer with people” at dinner. Plus, 71% of guests said they “felt less lonely” at a OneTable dinner.

“The best part is that it introduced me to new people who became my best friends in a new city. OneTable is directly responsible for helping me make Jewish connections in my first few months in my new home.” – Active Host

Since attending their first OneTable dinner... % Among all OneTable participants

54% 50%

48% 37%

Hosts Celebrate Shabbat more often outside of OneTable Host Shabbat more often outside of OneTable Have brought or invited someone to their first OneTable dinner Sought out new Jewish organizations or communities

33% 32%

32% 31%

Guests Celebrate Shabbat more often outside of OneTable Celebrate other Jewish holidays more often Have hung out with someone they met at dinner Have tried out ways to be more intentional in their lives

In addition to new organizations, about 1-in-4 participants report adopting new Jewish rituals or practices since their first dinner. These rates are higher among participants who did not celebrate Shabbat much growing up—suggesting that for them, OneTable can be a powerful gateway to new Jewish opportunities, not just a destination.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable dinners have been vital throughout the pandemic, creating opportunity for participants to reflect, mark time, and appreciate community While this study was initially conceived prior to and separate from the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew in drafting the instrument that it would be a missed opportunity not to use the impact study to better understand the ways in which Shabbat may have played a role in OneTable participants’ experiences of the pandemic. What the study found was that, for the many OneTable guests and hosts who celebrate in some way, Shabbat has been a vital source of healing. 4-in-5 participants say Shabbat during the pandemic “helped them deal with an otherwise difficult time,” saying it has both given them chances to mark time and unplug, and reinforced their appreciation for spending time with friends, family, and loved ones. As people continue to move forward from the pandemic, OneTable can offer more Jewish young adults the same opportunities to use Shabbat to reflect, connect, and heal.

“My first OneTable experience was right in the middle of the pandemic. It was completely virtual. I am immunocompromised and was having a very difficult time with being alone. Being able to feel connected to people in general was crucial at that point in time for me—mentally, spiritually, emotionally—and it really strengthened the relationships I made.” – Active Host

Shabbat during the pandemic... Among OneTable participants who have observed Shabbat in some way during the pandemic

93% of hosts 88% of guests MADE ME APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

84% of hosts 79% of guests PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO MARK TIME AND UNPLUG

81% of hosts 77% of guests HELPED ME DEAL WITH AN OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TIME

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS OneTable participants report very clearly that Shabbat has been a critical source of joy and community for them throughout the pandemic. Recall, too, that Jewish young adults uninvolved in OneTable report much higher rates of loneliness and disconnection—this presents important opportunities for OneTable: ✓ As people move forward from the pandemic, OneTable should continue to provide substantial resources oriented directly around reflection and healing in the wake of this difficult period. ✓ Young adults new to OneTable are just as likely to have experienced ill effects, but less likely to have had Shabbat as a source of strength and healing already. Design programming with them in mind, geared toward opportunities for social connection and appreciation of community. Benenson Strategy Group | 16

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

Participating in OneTable dinners significantly increases overall Shabbat practice, including among those who are no longer active with OneTable When it comes to its core mission—fostering and establishing Shabbat practice for more Jewish young adults—OneTable is clearly succeeding. Across hosts and guests, active and currently inactive, OneTable participants almost universally report celebrating Shabbat more regularly today compared to before they got involved. That includes celebration both with and outside of OneTable. It is especially striking to see this increase among formerly active participants (both guests and hosts) as well. Before OneTable, just over half of this group celebrated Shabbat in some way at least once a month—a similar rate to respondents in the Jewish young adult comparison sample. But even though they are no longer active in OneTable, nearly two-thirds of this group celebrates Shabbat at least once a month today—meaning that they have found some type of regular Shabbat practice outside of OneTable that is a major part of their life today. This report will explore formerly active participants and their Shabbat practice today in more detail in subsequent sections. Self-reported Shabbat practice before and after OneTable engagement Among Jewish OneTable participants Active Hosts +26% % Less than once a month or never

Active Guests

Formerly Active

24 41

+17%

46 +10%

% Once a month or more often

88 62

Before OneTable

76 59

After OneTable

Before OneTable

After OneTable

Before OneTable

After OneTable

Note: in the survey, Jewish OneTable participants were asked first to report how often they currently celebrate Shabbat (in any way); these are the “Today” data displayed above. They were then asked to report how often they celebrated Shabbat in any way before their first OneTable dinner (the “pre-OneTable” data). Benenson Strategy Group | 17

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable participants celebrate Shabbat more than the comparison sample, even after controlling for their prior Shabbat experiences and upbringing Another way to understand OneTable’s impact on Shabbat practice is by comparing OneTable participants to other Jewish young adults based on prior Shabbat experience. By this analysis, it is clear OneTable drives Shabbat practice regardless of prior Shabbat experience—whether they celebrated Shabbat often or never growing up, OneTable participants are more likely than Jewish young adults in the comparison sample to celebrate today. This pattern shows two effects. First, for participants who did have a regular Shabbat practice growing up, OneTable has helped them maintain and refine it—whether they’re still using the OneTable platform today or not. For those who did not have a regular Shabbat practice growing up, OneTable has allowed them to develop one—and today, those OneTable participants are twice as likely to celebrate Shabbat as Jewish young adults in the comparison sample who did not celebrate Shabbat regularly growing up. Shabbat practice: comparing OneTable participants to Jewish young adult comparison sample Among Jewish OneTable participants and Jewish young adult comparison sample Celebrated Shabbat often growing up

% Less than once a month or never

Celebrated Shabbat never/rarely growing up

12 28 44 74

% Once a month or more often

88 72 56 26

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

Even former OneTable participants are still more likely to celebrate Shabbat regularly today—of former participants who did not celebrate Shabbat regularly growing up, 45% of them celebrate regularly today. They are just doing so outside of OneTable. Benenson Strategy Group | 18

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

THE ONETABLE STORY

OneTable succeeds in connecting participants to their Jewish identity OneTable participants are also overwhelmingly likely to say that Jewish identity is a major part of their lives—well over half of both guests and hosts say being Jewish is very important to them; they are also more likely than Jewish young adults in the comparison sample to say so. But this is not due to OneTable participants’ greater exposure to Jewish experience growing up—the gap remains even after controlling for variation in Jewish background. OneTable participants who rarely or never celebrated Shabbat growing up still rate Jewish identity as far more important in their lives today than Jewish young adults in the comparison sample with the same respective type of Jewish identity or background. OneTable participants who didn’t celebrate Shabbat growing up are twice as likely today to say being Jewish is very important to them, suggesting the powerful effect relationship between new Shabbat practice and Jewish identity broadly. Importance of being Jewish: comparing OneTable participants to Jewish young adult comparison sample Among Jewish OneTable participants and Jewish young adult comparison sample Celebrated Shabbat often growing up

% Not impt % Smwt impt

Celebrated Shabbat never/rarely growing up

% Very impt

78 58

46 19

Hosts

82% of hosts and 68% of guests say that because of OneTable, they felt more in touch with their Jewish identity.

Guests

Comparison sample

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

“[OneTable helps me] remember that, even if we are not all physically together, we can be Jewish and celebrate Shabbat in a small group and feel connected to others who are doing the same thing all over the world on Friday night.” – Active Host

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Who are OneTable guests and hosts?

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ONETABLE GUESTS AND HOSTS

Hosts come to OneTable because they want the chance to take ownership over their Shabbat experience—and share it with friends, family, and loved ones Much of the survey focused specifically on the hosting experience— in particular, their motivations for hosting and what they get out of the opportunity. Hosts are a diverse group who host for a range of reasons. The most important drivers are wanting to take ownership of the Shabbat experience and to share that experience with people in their lives.

“I want to continue to create new relationships with folks in my Jewish community. I want to welcome people who are new to my city, as I was once welcomed. OneTable provides so much flexibility in the way Shabbat can be observed, which makes it easy for me to plan a traditional Shabbat with candles, blessings, and chicken soup... and another Shabbat dinner with Moscow mules, sushi, and loud music.”

These top reasons are consistent across two groups of participants: those who have only hosted, and those who attended as both guests and hosts. For the second group, the sharing experience of hosting Shabbat is even more important. 60% of them said they wanted to share Shabbat and OneTable with more people, compared to 54% of those who have only been hosts. All hosts are powerful OneTable ambassadors, but especially those who were guests first. They know the power of a Shabbat dinner and can’t wait to share the experience with others.

– Active Host

Motivations for hosting a first OneTable dinner % describes what I was hoping to get out of dinner (NET 6-7 on a 1-7 scale); among all OneTable hosts

I wanted to host my friends

I wanted to feel more connected to friends or family

I wanted to share Shabbat/OneTable with more people I know

I wanted to feel in charge of the way I celebrate Shabbat

I wanted to feel in charge of my Jewish rituals and experience

I wanted to meet new people through Shabbat and OneTable

I wanted to get better at hosting and leading conversation

I wanted a chance to talk about meaningful/challenging topics

Ownership is a vital motivator and outcome for hosts. 81% say that because of OneTable, they have “found new ways to celebrate Shabbat.”

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ONETABLE GUESTS AND HOSTS

Guests come to dinner because they want to participate in a Jewish experience with Jewish people As discussed in the previous section, the primary driver bringing Jewish guests to dinner—about 90% of the guest population—is that they want to participate in something Jewish—and they want to connect with new people and communities, particularly Jewish ones, in the process. The survey responses also made clear that an invitation from a friend goes a long way toward getting guests to dinner and unlocking the rest of the OneTable journey. 47% said one reason they attended was because “it’s what [their] friends were doing”—and the most important reason for 16%. For almost all guests, OneTable dinners deliver on their aspirations for attending in the first place. 97% of all guests report satisfaction with their dinner experience, including 72% “very satisfied”—true universal satisfaction. In addition, 92% say their dinner experience was meaningful. These extraordinarily high ratings hold across all guests, regardless of the reason why they first came to OneTable. Reasons for attending first OneTable dinner Among OneTable participants who have only been guests; showing top reasons selected Guests

% All reasons

I wanted to participate in something Jewish

I wanted to meet new people

I wanted a social environment like Shabbat dinner

It's what my friends were doing

I wanted to meet Jewish people

I wanted to feel more grounded and relaxed

I wanted to have deeper, more meaningful conversations

*Showing top five reasons for; note that while non-Jewish participants also received the full battery of options on this question, their answers were not statistically significant from those of Jewish participants.

% Most impt

Benenson Strategy Group | 22

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ONETABLE GUESTS AND HOSTS

Both guests and hosts—including those no longer using the platform—derive intense satisfaction and meaning from their OneTable experiences OneTable participants’ intense satisfaction with their dinner experience shows that the program is making good on their aspirations. Virtually zero guests or hosts leave dinner dissatisfied; more than 7-in-10 of each group say they were very satisfied with their experience. The same is true of formerly active participants, too—82% of formerly active hosts and 74% of formerly active guests were very satisfied with their OneTable dinner experience. How satisfied were you with your experience at your OneTable dinner? Among OneTable participants % Not satisfied % Smwt satisfied

% Very satisfied

Active hosts

Active guests

Formerly active hosts

Formerly active guests

Additionally, OneTable participants—across guests and hosts, active and formerly active—are finding their dinner experience very meaningful, a more difficult bar to clear than satisfaction. OneTable dinner is more than just fun—it delivers a meaningful Jewish, social, and emotional experience. How meaningful was your experience at your OneTable dinner? Among OneTable participants

% Not meaningful

% Smwt meaningful

% Very meaningful

Active hosts

Active guests

11 39 53

59 36 Formerly active hosts

Formerly active guests

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ONETABLE GUESTS AND HOSTS

The OneTable host experience is meaningful for hosts across a diverse range of Jewish backgrounds and experiences OneTable participants across the board report meaningful experiences at dinner. However, survey responses indicate that hosts derive even more from the experience than guests. This finding holds even after accounting for the fact that hosts generally have more pre-OneTable Shabbat and Jewish experience than guests. Among participants who celebrated Shabbat often growing up, 65% of hosts found dinner very meaningful, compared to 44% of guests—a high rating, but far below that of hosts. Among participants who did not celebrate Shabbat as much growing up, 57% of hosts and 41% of guests found dinner very meaningful, respectively. That said, the host and guest experiences are quite different—resulting in different benefits for each group, including many powerful impacts with the guest population, as explored in further detail on the next page. How meaningful was your experience at that OneTable dinner? Among all OneTable participants Celebrated Shabbat often growing up % Not meaningful % Smwt meaningful

% Very meaningful

10 32 46

65 44

Hosts

Guests

Celebrated Shabbat never or rarely growing up

37 50

Hosts

The same pattern holds across other indicators of Jewish background and experience. Hosts derive more intense meaning from dinner than guests regardless of their denomination of Judaism or how often they engage in other Jewish practices in dayto-day life.

Guests

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS OneTable should take heart in the high levels of satisfaction and meaning guests report; even without hosting, they clearly derive significant religious, social, and emotional benefits from their experience. ✓ OneTable needs to learn more about its guests in the immediate aftermath of the experience. Look for ways to replicate the participation surveys through field staff contact with guests to understand how OneTable can cater them directly, even if they don’t plan to host. ✓ Not every guest is meant to host, and that’s okay—but OneTable should urge hosts to design dinners and resources to offer guests similar types of ownership and empowerment over the experience, which are drivers of the meaning hosts derive from dinner.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

ONETABLE GUESTS AND HOSTS

Guests are just as likely as hosts to unlock the social and emotional benefits of the OneTable experience The depth of impact for hosts persists on several of OneTable’s more specific outcomes aside from the overall meaningfulness of dinner. The data below isolates hosts and guests who rarely or never celebrated Shabbat growing up and compares the groups on several of the stated outcomes tested in the survey. Hosts in this category clearly report feeling more in touch with their Jewish identity and making Shabbat a bigger part of their life due to their OneTable experiences. However, on a strictly social outcome—making new friends—there is no difference in impact between hosts and guests. OneTable Shabbat Outcomes: Because of OneTable, I have... Among OneTable who celebrated Shabbat rarely or never growing up Felt more in touch with my Jewish identity % Total agree

Made Shabbat a bigger part of my life

Made new friends

86 77

76 67

% Strongly agree

36 21 Hosts

Guests

Hosts

19 Guests

Hosts

Guests

This data demonstrates that, while hosting is a powerful way to deepen some of OneTable’s impacts, it is not the only way to deepen all of them. In fact, guests who have never hosted—regardless of their prior Shabbat experience—are just as likely to tap into some of OneTable’s critical social and emotional outcomes as hosts. Not all participants will become hosts; many don’t want to, and that’s perfectly fine. The OneTable guest experience is perfectly capable of delivering on their desired outcomes, including the desire to make new friends and deepen relationships.

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Understanding formerly active participants

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

FORMERLY ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS

Formerly active participants reflect very fondly on their OneTable experience Recall that among both formerly active guests and hosts, 3-in-4 were very satisfied with their OneTable experience, with near-universal total satisfaction, and large percentages also derived significant meaning from their experience. Disengagement is not concentrated in one subgroup, either—these high ratings are consistent across Jewish denomination and geographic region, among other demographic categories.

The extraordinarily high ratings among formerly active guests and hosts show that that these participants hold only goodwill toward OneTable; they have moved on from OneTable for reasons other than dissatisfaction. These reasons are explored in further detail later in this section. How satisfied were you with your experience at your OneTable dinner? Among guests and hosts who have not participated in a OneTable dinner since October 2020 % Very satisfied

% Total satisfied

Formerly Active Hosts

Formerly Active Guests

How meaningful was your experience at your OneTable dinner? Among guests and hosts who have not participated in a OneTable dinner since October 2020 % Very meaningful

Formerly Active Hosts Formerly Active Guests

% Total meaningful

“[The best parts were] getting to meet new people, sharing my culture with friends from school and the workplace... It was honestly a wonderful experience; I have nothing bad to say about it.”

“I loved how the people that came were able to have a Shabbat experience that was customized to what they wanted - and that it inspired many of them to want to host a Shabbat dinner themselves.”

– Formerly Active Host

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

FORMERLY ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS

Large majorities of formerly active participants still celebrate Shabbat regularly in some way, at rates higher than or equal to the Jewish young adult comparison group Shabbat also remains a major part of life for most formerly active participants. 58% of formerly active guests and 76% of formerly active hosts still celebrate Shabbat at least once a month— higher rates than among Jewish young adults in the comparison sample, even though formerly active participants celebrated Shabbat slightly less as a whole (53% once a month or more) before participating in OneTable. This gap persists when controlling for relationship status as well, indicating that the life stage of formerly active participants—more of whom are married or partnered—does not fully explain the higher rate of Shabbat practice compared to the comparison sample. Between this level of celebration among formerly active participants, and their overwhelming satisfaction, OneTable should regard their experience as nothing short of clear success. For any number of reasons, OneTable may no longer be right for them—but Shabbat remains an important part of their lives, even more so than before they first encountered OneTable. Many have taken charge of their personal Shabbat practice or observance, celebrating the way that’s right for them. How often do you currently celebrate Shabbat in any way? % Never

% Rarely (less than once a month)

% Once a month or more often

20 33

Active Hosts

Formerly Active Hosts

“My partner and friends and I now have a Shabbat practice of our own that we’ve developed outside of OneTable.” – Formerly Active Guest

Active Guests

Formerly Active Guests

Comparison sample

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS The rates of practice among formerly active participants are a clear success. In future research, OneTable should look to learn more about how they celebrate Shabbat today and why they’ve chosen that practice. This can lead to a deeper understanding of what participants have taken away from OneTable and how the platform can continue to facilitate those takeaways for all participants.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

FORMERLY ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS

Reasons for inactivity break into three groups: mainly pandemic concerns, followed by other Shabbat practice, and for guests, not knowing where to go As is clear from their satisfaction, very few formerly active participants are inactive because of negative experiences at dinner. Their reasons largely break into three groups: pandemic-related reasons, followed by celebrating Shabbat outside of OneTable and, for some, life just getting in the way.

OneTable should be gratified to know nearly 60% of formerly active participants—including more than half of formerly active guests—still celebrate Shabbat regularly. And among those who have not attended recently due to the pandemic, there are good odds they will come back to OneTable with time. It is important to note, however, that 1-in-5 formerly active guests say the most important reason is that they don’t know of a dinner to go to or people to go with. OneTable should continue to find ways to ensure guests know there are dinners near them where they will be welcome. What is the most important reason why you have not attended or hosted recently? Among formerly active OneTable participants Formerly Active Hosts

Formerly Active Guests Pandemic-related

Celebrate Shabbat another way

18 50

Too busy / too much work

Nowhere to go

Some other reason

14 18

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS Most formerly active participants have found a Shabbat practice outside OneTable that makes sense for them and their lives today. For others, there are clear opportunities for OneTable to “win back” some participants— and make sure others don’t fade from the program moving forward: ✓ Too many participants still aren’t aware of what OneTable is doing to bring back “normal” Shabbat dinners in safe, flexible ways. Focused communication about these options can help them feel ready to return. ✓ For more than 1-in-5 guests, the biggest barrier is not having a dinner to go to or people to go with. Guests need to know that there is a dinner for them—even if it’s with strangers—and they need an invitation from a OneTable host or staff member to get there; they shouldn’t have to find it on their own.

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Difficult issues at the dinner table

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

DIFFICULT ISSUES AT DINNER

OneTable participants mirror their peers in their levels of concern around antisemitism and conflict in Israel One important component of the research was seeking to understand the salience of several important issues in OneTable participants’ lives, including two issues particularly relevant to the lives of young Jews—antisemitism and the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Given the difficulty these two issues can present for many young Jews in other settings, it was critical to understand how they are playing a role in their lives today. The study found that OneTable participants express concern over both antisemitism against Jewish people in general and the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians at similar rates to other young Jews, but neither is their most pressing concern overall. Relatively few are concerned about antisemitism directed at them personally—though this figure is higher among the comparison sample, even after accounting for OneTable participants who are not Jewish. Concern about these issues is relatively consistent across subgroups of participants, too. The one exception is that Orthodox participants are somewhat more likely to report concern about antisemitism directed against them personally.

How concerned if at all, are you about each of the following in your life today? Showing % very concerned All Hosts

All Guests

Jewish young adult comparison sample

56 57

OneTable participants are most concerned about issues like climate change and racism and social justice in the US

45 41

43 40

37 34 34 31 28 28 21

Climate change and Racism and issues The ongoing COVIDAntisemitism environmental of social justice in 19 pandemic against the Jewish issues the US people in general

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians

International conflict in general

Antisemitism directed at me personally

Benenson Strategy Group | 31

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

DIFFICULT ISSUES AT DINNER

Neither antisemitism nor the conflict negatively impacts engagement with OneTable—in fact, participants view OneTable as a safe place to engage with difficult issues While neither antisemitism nor the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians were among OneTable participants’ top concerns, a fair number of participants nonetheless reported that these issues were on their mind. The survey asked these individuals whether either had an impact on their participation in a range of activities and events—including OneTable dinners. The survey found that concern over antisemitism and/or the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians makes no difference in most participants’ likelihood of attending a dinner. In fact, participants say those concerns make them more likely to attend a OneTable dinner rather than less likely, because if there’s any safe place for difficult, emotional conversations, it’s a OneTable dinner.

“OneTable is an organization that has consistently taken steps to reach out to participants and provide resources to help us feel safe, be it from antisemitism or the pandemic.”

– Active Host

81%

of users say the conflict makes no difference in whether they attend OneTable dinners. 14% say it makes them more inclined to participate, and 6% say it makes them less inclined.

67%

of users say antisemitism makes no difference in whether they attend OneTable dinners. 27% say it makes them more inclined to participate, and 5% say it makes them less inclined.

Among those participants who said either issue made them more likely to participate in OneTable dinners, the survey asked why. The most common responses also centered on the same themes: the community, safety, and freedom of conversation they feel at OneTable dinners with other participants. Importantly, not everybody is necessarily looking for a group of like-minded individuals who agree with their perspectives 100%; rather, they are looking for people who will be supportive, respectful, and understanding, even when having difficult discussions.

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS Antisemitism and the conflict, while important parts of many young Jews’ lives, largely have limited impact on their OneTable experience. However, supportive and respectful community is one of OneTable’s core strengths, and for those participants who come to OneTable looking for a place to engage with or stay away from these issues, that quality is even more important. OneTable should continue to find ways to remind participants the dinners are safe places for difficult conversations, and take steps to ensure that OneTable dinners remain respectful environments no matter the topic of conversation. This could include providing resources for informed and respectful discussion of these issues for interested participants.

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Going deeper: OneTable’s impact

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

GOING DEEPER: ONETABLE’S IMPACT

OneTable has especially strong impacts on the Shabbat practice of its younger, single participants OneTable’s pronounced effects on Shabbat practice persist across demographic subgroups: younger or older, single or partnered, in any region of the country, OneTable participants celebrate Shabbat more often than the comparison sample. Looking closer at demographic subgroups within the OneTable audience, however, shows that the effects distribute somewhat unevenly. OneTable has the most substantial impact on Shabbat practice among younger participants— those under 30 years old are 26 percentage points more likely to celebrate Shabbat regularly if they participate in OneTable, highlighting OneTable’s success as an intervention for those just establishing their own “style” of Jewish adulthood. Meanwhile, participants 30 and older are only 10 percentage points more likely. A similar difference shows up in analysis by relationship status: single OneTable participants are much more likely than other single young adults to celebrate Shabbat regularly, while for married and partnered participants, the difference is more muted. Part of this difference is because Jewish adults in their 30s, or those who are partnered, are more likely to already celebrate Shabbat without OneTable—but it also speaks to the size of the impact OneTable is having on younger and single participants, groups who would otherwise be less likely to celebrate Shabbat in the first place. Shabbat practice: comparing OneTable participants to the comparison sample Among Jewish OneTable participants and Jewish young adult comparison sample

Under 30 YO

% Less than once a month or never

30 50

% Once a month or more often

Comparison sample

Single, never married

30 58

OneTable participants

Married, engaged, or living with partner

30+ YO

70 42

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

OneTable participants

Comparison sample

Opportunity for OneTable: driving comparable impact with its older and/or partnered participants Benenson Strategy Group | 34

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

GOING DEEPER: ONETABLE’S IMPACT

Younger participants experience many of OneTable’s outcomes more strongly, pointing to an opportunity to deepen engagement with those worried about aging out Looking more closely at specific outcomes only among OneTable participants, younger dinner-goers (ages 21 to 29) report somewhat more resonant social and religious outcomes than participants on the older end of OneTable’s age range. This gap persists even after controlling for currently active and formerly active participants, and it is larger with hosts than guests. The upshot of this finding is not that older OneTable participants are not satisfied—they very much are—but that OneTable should seek out ways to strengthen the experience with these participants. This is particularly important on social outcomes, where the gap is even larger. 48% of participants 30+ say they came to dinner to get to know other people and another 48% say it was because they wanted to meet new people. Yet fewer of these participants see OneTable meeting that aspiration for them today, even if for some, it may have in the past. OneTable Shabbat Outcomes: Because of OneTable, I have... Among all OneTable participants % Strongly agree

Become closer with people

Made new friends

Felt more in touch with my Jewish identity

Made Shabbat a bigger part of my life

<30 YO

26 20

48% of participants 30+ say getting to know other people was part of why they first came to OneTable

<30 YO

30+ YO

<30 YO

30+ YO

% Total agree

65 59

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS Those at later stages of young adulthood still crave the OneTable experience, but it doesn’t always feel as “right” for them. Show them the communities, resources, and offerings OneTable can provide that are catered to them and their life stage to deepen the impact on their lives and lengthen their journey with the platform. Benenson Strategy Group | 35

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

GOING DEEPER: ONETABLE’S IMPACT

Because participants are successfully customizing and owning their dinner experience, dinners are meaningful to participants across affiliations Though OneTable’s participant universe skews somewhat toward Reform and Conservative young Jews, participants of other affiliations—or no affiliation—still report that their experiences at dinner have been nearly as meaningful. More than half of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform respondents also said their dinner was very meaningful; Reconstructionist and unaffiliated participants were just a few percentage points behind them. The research shows that, while different participants bring slightly different rituals to the dinner table, their motivations for attending and experiences at dinner are similar. Across denominations, the top reasons for attending are the same: wanting to participate in something Jewish and connecting with people in a setting like Shabbat. The numbers below indicate that the platform’s diversity of communities and offerings allow participants of various backgrounds to find that. How meaningful was your experience at that OneTable dinner? Among Jewish OneTable participants

% Not meaningful

% Smwt meaningful

% Very meaningful

No affiliation

Reconsructionist

Reform

Conservative

Orthodox

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS While there are key demographic groups, like older and partnered participants, that OneTable should prioritize directly serving, there’s no one “weak spot” when it comes to denomination or affiliation. Instead, the priority for OneTable here should be diversity—of rituals, resources, and communities—that allow Jews of all stripes to find their people at dinner. Additionally, note that participants don’t necessarily look for dinners of all Orthodox or Reform people, for example—the chance to meet and learn about new practices is meaningful to them, too. Focus on resources that support different practices and facilitate opportunities for participants to each other about them.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

GOING DEEPER: ONETABLE’S IMPACT

Social connection and quality conversations correlate strongly with a satisfying OneTable dinner, but meaning can come from a wide variety of experiences One question this study wanted to answer was whether there is a particular experience or outcome of dinner most closely tied to the “success” of the dinner experience for a OneTable participant. To determine this, we ran separate linear regressions on two continuous dependent variables— satisfaction with dinner and meaningfulness of dinner—with various experiences as the “input” variables. Each dependent variable was tested on a continuous 4-point scale. The data below show the relative importance of each input on the first outcome—that is, how much, relative to the others, it “explains” whether a respondent ultimately had a satisfying experience at dinner. The analysis shows that social and emotional experiences of Shabbat—connecting with others, having interesting conversations, feeling grounded and relaxed—are most predictive of satisfaction and lead most directly to the success of a dinner, more so than religious fulfilment or connection to Jewishness. This reaffirms the centrality of OneTable’s social and emotional outcomes—they are vital to the overall success of the experience. Above all, participants want to feel engaged and connected in conversation with one another—and when they do, they regard the experience as successful. Linear regression: relationship between experiences at dinner and satisfaction with dinner Among OneTable participants Experience at dinner (independent variable)

Relative Importance: satisfying experience

Had interesting conversations

28%

Got closer with people

16%

Felt more grounded and relaxed

12%

Had deep, meaningful conversations

Felt less stressed or anxious about other things happening in my life

Felt less lonely

Met people I enjoyed getting to know

Felt more connected to my Jewish identity or background

Reflected on the past week and week ahead

Felt spiritually fulfilled

Felt intellectually challenged

Got to take a break from some of the difficulties of the pandemic

Felt religiously fulfilled

Felt like I had a safe space from antisemitism

How to read this data: “Relative importance” refers to how much each independent continuous variable (on the left) plays a role in determining where a participant lands on the dependent variable (on the right), all totaling to approximately 100%. For example: the extent to which a participant feels like they had interesting conversations at dinner explains just over one-quarter of their ultimate satisfaction at dinner—about twice as much predictive value as the extent to which they felt more grounded and relaxed.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

GOING DEEPER: ONETABLE’S IMPACT

Social and emotional fulfillment drives meaningful experiences at OneTable dinners too In addition to measuring satisfaction, we used regression analysis to take a closer look at the meaningfulness of the experience—a somewhat higher bar for OneTable. Again, meaningfulness was measured on a continuous, four-point scale, with the same continuous variables used as inputs in the regression model. Whereas “interesting conversations” stood out on satisfaction, with meaningfulness, a wider range of experiences form the top tier of experiences predicting meaning at dinner. Still, each of the most explanatory variables—closeness with people, interesting conversation, feeling more grounded and relaxed, feeling less stress or anxious—are social and emotional at the core, while the explicitly religious elements of the OneTable experience are relatively less important to how meaningful a participant’s experience ultimately is. Because no one variable particularly stands out among the crowd, there is no “silver bullet” to a meaningful OneTable dinner. Successful engagement depends on participants’ customization and ownership of the experience. Regression analysis makes clear, however, that OneTable’s ability to deliver socially and emotionally fulfilling experiences for young Jews is essential to the program’s strength and appeal. Linear regression: relationship between experiences at dinner and meaningfulness of dinner Among OneTable participants Experience at dinner (independent variable)

Relative Importance: meaningful experience

Got closer with people

13%

Had interesting conversations

12%

Felt more grounded and relaxed

12%

Had deep, meaningful conversations

11%

Felt less stressed or anxious about other things happening in my life

10%

Felt spiritually fulfilled

Reflected on the past week and week ahead

Felt intellectually challenged

Felt less lonely

Got to take a break from some of the difficulties of the pandemic

Felt more connected to my Jewish identity or background

Felt religiously fulfilled

Met people I enjoyed getting to know

Felt like I had a safe space from antisemitism

1% Benenson Strategy Group | 38

Expanding OneTable’s reach

Benenson Strategy Group | 39

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

EXPANDING ONETABLE’S REACH

After hearing about OneTable, Jewish young adults in the comparison sample show strong interest in learning more and attending a dinner At the conclusion of the survey, comparison sample respondents received a short series of questions about their awareness of and interest in OneTable. While relatively few had any familiarity with OneTable, after reading a brief description, two-in-three young Jews reported interest both in learning more and actually attending a dinner. The OneTable offering makes intuitive sense to most young Jews as they can see it filling a clear role in their lives, both Jewishly and socially. Notably, interest is similarly high among Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jewish young adults in the comparison sample. It is, however, higher among young Jews in the comparison sample who already celebrate Shabbat at least somewhat regularly today—suggesting that there is work to be done to show those young Jews without a Shabbat practice that the platform can still bring value and meaning to them. Subsequent pages will dig further into interest by subgroup and potential opportunities for OneTable to reach more young Jews. Interest in learning more about OneTable / attending a dinner Among the Jewish young adult comparison sample After hearing the description... Interest in learning more about OneTable

Respondents first heard a detailed description of OneTable: OneTable is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Jewish young adults slow down, join together, unplug, and build meaningful relationships through Friday night dinners, based on the Jewish custom of Shabbat. Using an Airbnb-style platform to host and find Shabbat dinners, millennial and Gen Z volunteers host other young adults in their homes for dinner.

Interest in attending a OneTable dinner

% Not interested at all

% A little interested

% Somewhat interested

% Very interested

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

EXPANDING ONETABLE’S REACH

Interest is steady across affiliations, but those who do not yet celebrate Shabbat need additional support to get to the table As described on the previous slide, young Jews of all denominational backgrounds show strong interest in attending a dinner, showing that OneTable appeals readily to a broad swath of young Jews, including many who may have more engrained or well-established notions of what Shabbat practice means to them. However, interest is lower among young Jews who do not already celebrate Shabbat much today. This presents an opportunity to show more young Jews the beauty of Shabbat, but also a challenge. For many of these young Jews, they will likely need an entry point other than “wanting to do something Jewish.” The social component of OneTable—and in particular, the invitation of a friend or acquaintance—is especially vital to getting them to the table and into the OneTable journey. Interest in attending a OneTable dinner Among the Jewish young adult comparison sample % Very interested

Total

% Total interested

Orthodox

Conservative

Denomination of Judaism Reform

No affiliation

Once a month or more

Shabbat celebration today

Less than once a month

Benenson Strategy Group | 41

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

EXPANDING ONETABLE’S REACH

Interest is high among groups—like married or partnered young Jews—who may feel less served by OneTable today Across demographics other than Jewish background, interest is high, notably so among many groups that do not necessarily feel as served by the OneTable platform today. Jewish young adults in the comparison sample who are 30 and older, and those who are partnered, are most interested in the platform—groups whose current participants reported less salient impacts of the OneTable experience. For OneTable, this should be a reminder to ensure there are dinners designed specifically for these cohorts and their needs. There is also high interest in the South and Midwest, making clear that interest in OneTable extends beyond larger Jewish communities on the coasts. OneTable has a significant opportunity to bring in new participants that come from some of the same groups—30-39 years old, married or partnered—who are highly interested in OneTable, but need more targeted resources in order to feel stronger benefits from the experience. Creating these opportunities can help OneTable accomplish two important goals at once: bringing in new participants and deepening the impact of the experience at the same time. Interest in attending a OneTable dinner Among the Jewish young adult comparison sample % Very interested Total <30 YO

Age

Single

Region

75 61

41 26

Midwest

75 61

South West

61 42

Married, engaged, or living with partner Northeast

30+ YO

Relationship Status

% Total interested

43 26

68 64

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS ✓ Tailor resources to potential participants at the older end of the age range and life stages served by the platform—just as these participants are more likely to feel like they’ve “aged out” of the platform, they may also feel from the outside like it isn’t “for them.” ✓ Consider creative ways to better serve young Jews in the Midwest and South Benenson Strategy Group | 42

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

EXPANDING ONETABLE’S REACH

The most appealing elements of OneTable are its opportunities to meet people and make community with other young Jews Finally, young Jews who expressed interest in attending dinners were asked why, on an open-ended basis. Their reasons varied, though once again, the themes of social connection and community— in general, and with other young Jews—clearly rose to the top. These were especially important to Jewish young adult in the comparison sample who are relatively new to their current city or who have relatively few Jewish friends, two groups particularly in need of Jewish community.

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS There is no one “pitch” that will work equally for all Jewish young adults; the data here, however, make it clear that leading with the community and connection OneTable facilitates should be the anchor of OneTable’s message to prospective dinner goers. Many are looking explicitly for something Jewish; many are not. Some have Shabbat practices; others want them, and others are more interested in the social elements. But almost all young Jews are looking for chances to build and strengthen their relationships with one another—and there’s no better place to do that than at a OneTable dinner.

What is it that makes you interested in attending a OneTable dinner? Among Jewish young adults in the comparison sample interested in attending; open-ended response

23%

16%

11%

Meeting or connecting with new people

“It’s people my age that I could connect with that want to meet and have this connection to each other over our religion— that’s something that I haven’t [been] a part of for a while. I really miss it.”

Most important to young Jews who are relatively new to their city

Community and being with others

“I don't have a lot of Jewish friends that live in my neighborhood anymore and it does make me feel a bit unplugged when I celebrate alone. Having a community dinner sounds really nice.”

Especially resonant among those with fewer or hardly any Jewish friends

“I would like to practice Shabbat more regularly to unplug from technology, destress from my week and center myself.”

Important across affiliations, but especially Conservative and Reform young Jews

Connecting to Jewish identity / Shabbat practice

Benenson Strategy Group | 43

Recommendations and Opportunities

Benenson Strategy Group | 44

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

RECOMMENDATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Moving forward: key recommendations for OneTable Throughout this report, we have provided recommendations for OneTable—what the data tell us about opportunities to deepen engagement, strengthen outcomes, expand OneTable’s reach, and better serve young Jews where OneTable is currently falling short. To conclude the report, we have laid out a summary of these recommendations below.

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS: DEEPENING ENGAGEMENT ✓ This research demonstrates that guests can and often do derive deep meaning from their experience with the platform—but there’s still no substitute for the depth of impact for hosts. OneTable should find ways to provide guests with opportunities for ownership over their Shabbat experience, a key driver of the deep impact hosts experience. ✓ Recall that meaningful connections are the primary driver of satisfaction at dinner; ensure that all OneTable participants, especially those with less established Shabbat communities, feel welcome at dinner and able to build those relationships.

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS: WELCOMING ALL YOUNG JEWS ✓ While older and partnered participants are highly satisfied with the OneTable experience, it’s clear the impacts are even stronger among younger members of OneTable’s target cohort. To deepen impact with all participants, design resources and offerings specifically tailored to the life stages of participants 30-39 and/or who are married or partnered. ✓ For many participants, especially newer guests, the hardest part of the OneTable journey is the entry; many formerly active guests say they have lapsed because they didn’t know where to go or who to go with. Targeted outreach and invitations from OneTable staff and host ambassadors make them feel welcome—a necessary condition for the rest of OneTable’s impact.

PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS: EXPANDING ONETABLE’S REACH ✓ Interest is high among young Jews who have not yet experienced OneTable; it’s not limited to one affiliation or demographic group. Highlight the diversity of OneTable offerings and communities to them to show that there is a Shabbat experience for everyone. ✓ Young Jews outside of coastal metropolitan areas are just as interested in OneTable; continue investment in smaller Jewish communities where more Jews are looking for community.

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ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

RECOMMENDATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Moving forward: future opportunities for research While this research has provided unprecedented insight into OneTable participants, and new understandings of the Jewish young adult population at large, gaps in knowledge still remain—and as with any research endeavor, for all the questions answered, nearly as many new ones have emerged. Below, we have outlined what we view as the most promising opportunities for continued research with OneTable participants and with the field of Jewish young adults in general.

RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS: DEEPENING CONNECTIONS WITH PARTICIPANTS ✓ This research has demonstrated the depth of both the host and guest experiences and suggested that while hosts experience “deeper” impacts in certain meaningful ways, the guest experience is fulfilling—especially socially and emotionally—in its own right. Future research prioritizing a deeper understanding of the guest experience can better answer remaining questions about what is unique about the guest experience and ways OneTable can help guests feel ownership over their experience as guests do. ✓ Additionally, one area this survey did not cover in great depth was the guest-to-host journey— what motivates guests to become hosts, what stands in their way, and the similarities and differences between the two experiences. Future research into this transition can help OneTable provide stronger resources and support for its participants seeking to take the next step. ✓ This research highlights that certain demographic groups highly interested in OneTable— participants 30-39 years old, who are married or partnered, or who live in smaller Jewish communities—are some of those who feel less served and impacted by OneTable’s current offerings. Deeper dives with these participants can ensure that OneTable creates the offerings and resources that best meet their needs.

RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS: NEW UNDERSTANDING OF JEWISH YOUNG ADULTS ✓ The comparison sample provided new insight into the lives, Jewish and secular, of American Jewish young adults. It demonstrated interest in OneTable’s programs and offerings, and appetite for Jewish community; further research in the field should seek to better understand what kinds of offerings, like OneTable, can serve as the most effective gateways to Jewish life and experience in adulthood. ✓ The research suggested a powerful role for OneTable in mitigating loneliness—but on the other hand, highlighted the prevalence of loneliness in the lives of young Jews. Future research should seek to better understand the roots and nuances of this loneliness, and comparisons across the wider population, in order to identify other interventions that can form the powerful social and emotional connections so important to young Jews.

Benenson Strategy Group | 46

Methodology, Process, and Sample

Benenson Strategy Group | 47

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

METHODOLOGY, PROCESS, AND SAMPLE

Methodology and Process After delaying the study due to the COVID-19 pandemic, OneTable and BSG resumed work in spring 2021. In October 2021, BSG conducted preliminary testing of the survey in a focus-group setting with a diverse group of OneTable users. BSG fielded the survey from Nov. 4 to Dec. 16, 2021. Responses were collected from 1,938 OneTable users, who were recruited via email, social media, and referral. In addition to OneTable users, BSG fielded an overlapping survey among a Jewish young adult comparison sample of 814 young Jews ages 21-44, recruited via external online panel. The purpose was to provide an “apples to apples” comparison between OneTable users and a nationally representative sample of Jewish young adults of the same age cohort in order to uncover similarities and differences between the two audiences on demographics, Jewish background and behaviors, and attitudes toward Shabbat, Jewish identity, and Jewish practices. Research Preparation – Fall 2019

Resumption of Research – Spring 2021

Impact Study – Nov/Dec 2021

OneTable and BSG began work on this study in Dec. 2019 with a discovery period aimed at understanding OneTable’s existing data and body of research.

OneTable and BSG resumed work on the research instrument in spring 2021, expanding the project to include a comparison sample of Jewish young adults in OneTable’s age cohort.

The impact survey launched on Nov. 4, 2021 and ran until Dec. 16. In total, the survey collected responses from 1,938 OneTable users and 814 Jewish young adults.

In March 2020, the impact study was put on hold. In its place, BSG conducted a survey of 1,229 OneTable users to understand the impact of the pandemic.

Before launching the survey, BSG conducted testing of the survey with OneTable users to gauge understanding of the questions and assess the appropriateness and comprehensiveness of questions.

COVID Impact Study – Spring 2020

Survey Pre-Testing – Oct. 2021

Sample and Weighting The unweighted sample sizes for the comparison sample and OneTable user groups can be found on page 3 of this report. Invitations were sent to 94,280 OneTable users, and in total, we collected 1,938 OneTable users (making a total completion rate of 2.1%). We did not include responses of users that dropped off of the survey before completion. We additionally collected 814 responses for the Jewish young adult comparison sample. The two groups were sampled and weighted separately. The OneTable user sample was weighted to match estimated characteristics of the overall user population based on data on file. Weights were also used to establish estimated proportions in the overall sample between active guests, active hosts, and formerly active users, using available data on number of engagements with OneTable and most recent dinner attended or hosted. The Jewish young adult comparison sample was weighted to match estimated characteristics of the Jewish young adult population nationwide, using demographic targets constructed based on Pew’s 2020 research, as well as a range of other professional research references. Benenson Strategy Group | 48

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

METHODOLOGY, PROCESS, AND SAMPLE

Descriptive statistics of the OneTable participant sample Weighted to match estimated characteristics of the eligible universe of OneTable participants** Engagement Level (All Respondents)

One-time guests

Multi-time guests

Most Recent Dinner

2018

Active Guests* Active Hosts*

2019

2020

Formerly Active*

One-time hosts Multi-time hosts

2021

*Note: by definition, “formerly active” includes only users whose most recent OneTable dinner occurred prior to Oct. 2020; “active” guests and hosts were defined as those who had attended or hosted a dinner since Oct. 2020 or later. Therefore, no respondents whose most recent dinner was in 2018 or 2019 qualify as active guests or hosts; and no respondents whose most recent dinner was in 2021 (or Oct-Dec 2020) qualify as formerly active. Religious Identity (among all participants)

Denomination (among Jewish respondents; multiple selections allowed)

Jewish only

Jewish and another

Not Jewish

Reform

Conserva tive

Orthodo x

Reconstr uctionist

Somethi ng else

Just Jewish

81%

10%

34%

26%

10%

32%

Gender Identity (among all participants)

Man

Woman

Nonbinary / nonconforming

33%

61%

Racial/Ethnic Identity (among all participants)

Relationship Status (among all participants)

Identify as white only

Identify as something other than white only

Single, Never Married

Married / Engaged / Live with partner

Other/Pref er not to say

77%

23%

56%

39%

** Due to incomplete data in the sample database, data for the number of dinners attended/hosted was unavailable for some respondents. The data shown here includes only respondents for whom that data was known.

Benenson Strategy Group | 49

ONETABLE 2021 IMPACT SURVEY

METHODOLOGY, PROCESS, AND SAMPLE

Comparing this study to Pew’s Jewish Americans in 2020 The primary objective of this research was to assess and evaluate the impact OneTable experiences have on participants. An important component of this was understanding how OneTable users compare to other young Jews; hence, the inclusion of the Jewish young adult comparison sample. Pew Research Center’s Jewish Americans in 2020 was a critical resource in this study, informing sampling, weighting techniques, and survey design. There are limits to our ability to fully compare the Pew dataset to this data due to remaining differences in audience screening, mode of fielding, data collection methods, and question design. Still, given the importance of the Pew study to the field of research concerning Jewish Americans, we felt comparison where appropriate would be useful. Below, we have included comparisons of certain descriptive statistics across the OneTable participant sample, the comparison sample, and Pew’s research, as well as key takeaways regarding comparison. Gender Identity

Racial/Ethnic Identity

Man

Woman

Nonbinary/non conforming

Identify as white only

Identify as something other than white

Jewish OneTable Participants

Jewish Young Adult Comparison Sample

Pew (18-29 YO)

N/A

Pew (all adults)

49*

51*

N/A*

Relationship Status

Jewish Denomination**

Single, Never Married

Married/Eng aged/With partner

Other

Refo rm

Conse rvativ e

Ortho dox

Recon structi onist

Somet hing else

Just Jewish /none

Jewish OneTable Participants

Jewish Young Adult Comparison Sample

Pew (18-29 YO)

N/A

29**

8**

17**

N/A

5**

41**

Pew (all adults)

37**

17**

9**

N/A

4**

32**

KEY TAKEAWAYS: COMPARISON TO PEW’S RESEARCH ON JEWISH AMERICANS ✓ OneTable participants, as well as young adults in the comparison sample, are more likely than young adults in the Pew research to say being Jewish is an important part of their lives. ✓ OneTable participants represent a diverse set of Jewish backgrounds and experiences—though compared to Pew’s data, they are more likely to identify as Reform or Conservative, and less likely than Jewish young adults in the comparison sample to identify without an affiliation. ✓ They are also more likely than young adults in Pew’s sample to have engaged in a variety of common Jewish experiences, including b’nei mitzvah, Hebrew school, Jewish summer camp, and travel to Israel. They are somewhat less likely to have attended Jewish day school. ✓ Nearly two-thirds of OneTable participants are women, compared to about half of the Jewish adult (and young adult) population according to Pew’s research and the Jewish young adult comparison sample. OneTable participants are also somewhat more likely to be single. *The Pew study offered respondents a binary choice for gender (male/female); our survey provided a more inclusive list of identities. ** The Pew study allowed respondents to select one choice for Benenson Strategy Group | 50 denomination; based on best practices for research with young Jewish audiences, our survey allowed multiple.

2021 Impact Report

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Recommendations and Opportunities

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