NEW YORK (Press Release) — OneTable, a national non-profit that empowers young Jewish adults to create their own consistent Shabbat dinner practice, leading to an increased sense of belonging, personal connections to Jewish identity, and increased health of American Jewish communities, welcomed new Chief Advancement Officer Irit E. Gross to the OneTable Executive Team.
“Irit is the ideal person to originate the role of Chief Advancement Officer at OneTable,” said OneTable President and CEO Aliza Kline. “She brings her unique blend of skill, warmth, and strategic thinking to our growing team. I am so delighted to have her as my thought partner in taking OneTable to the next stage.”
OneTable’s Board of Directors Co-Chair, Rob Orley, adds, “OneTable has grown tremendously over the past couple of years and our path forward is bright. Irit’s leadership will help expand our efforts to bring more joy and Shabbat to the Jewish community in America.”
Last year OneTable supported hosts across the country in creating nearly 23,000 dinners and 128,000 seats at the table for more than 33,000 people 21-40 years old. OneTable’s DIY approach to Shabbat includes tailored support, coaching, and online resources to make ritual personally meaningful, plus financial support to enable the host to create the dinner and community experience that is most meaningful to them.
Independent research of OneTable hosts and guests (past and present) during the last two years showed positive feelings toward participants’ religious identities, including a strong sense of being Jewish and a desire to incorporate Shabbat into their lives more regularly. Many dinner guests appreciated the “small scale” approach that the pandemic made necessary.
Now undergoing a multi-year strategic visioning process, OneTable is set to grow its contributed income by 30% in 2022 in order to significantly increase the number of young adults reached. The organization will continue to focus on supporting Shabbat dinners and their impact on a sense of belonging, Jewish identity, and Jewish community for young American Jews. In addition to its core service area, OneTable offers a Powered By OneTable white-label product. With Powered By OneTable, they are customizing their technology and offering their expertise in the field to help organizations and their members communicate, engage their communities, and grow.
“The energy and experience behind this newly formed OneTable development team are extraordinary,” said Irit E. Gross. “We are positioned to approach funding in a new way, both strengthening our current practices and implementing new ones focused on major gifts, partnerships, and innovative initiatives. Our vision is to create a culture of philanthropy within OneTable so donors and prospective donors join us in continuing to empower young Jewish adults to create joyful Shabbat practices.”
Irit joins OneTable in the new role of Chief Advancement Officer, and will oversee the Advancement team of Ely Benhamo, Director, Major Gifts, Mindy Goldberg, Institutional Giving Officer, and Annie Prusky, Manager, Development + Research. “Irit’s experience and expertise enables OneTable to build upon the success we’ve enjoyed over the last year, and continue to build momentum for the future,” continued Aliza Kline.
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Preceding provided by OneTable