OneTable Launches in Chicago, as its Second City for Customized Shabbat Dinner Experiences
After a successful launch in New York earlier this month, OneTable will be inviting the Windy City to take part in its tradition with a twist, beginning June 1st.
- New York, NY (1888PressRelease) June 01, 2015 - Chicago is getting wind of something tasty this summer, as New York-based OneTable (www.OneTable.org), the oldest new way to do Friday night, launches in the Windy City June 1st. After introducing its finalized concept to New York earlier this month, the not-for-profit online hub is wasting no time to engage with post-college, pre-family millennials to help them create custom Shabbat dinner experiences within their communities.
With its flagship program in New York, OneTable's mission is to inspire and support millennials to create Friday night Shabbat dinners that reflect their personal style and fit naturally into their lives. Its online community and tools are backed by an experienced team to help guide hosts and their guests through the entire process of hosting Shabbat dinners, customized to their liking, with varied environments and groups of people.
Beginning June 1st, OneTable Chicago will build on the successes made in NYC, creating new opportunities for Jewish millennials in Chicago to meet up, connect and grow the community. In doing so, the team is actively seeking to partner with local grassroots initiatives, institutions, and individuals who see value in building a OneTable community in Chicago.
"OneTable is designed to be a national effort, growing city by city," said Executive Director of OneTable Aliza Kline. "Given the population of young Jewish adults, the established culinary scene and 'foodie' movement, and the growing interest in dynamic Jewish innovation, Chicago is an ideal city for OneTable. With generous support from our operating partners and initial funders, OneTable has been granted the opportunity to grow our community."
OneTable offers three different types of Shabbat-oriented events that the hosts and guests may choose from via its online platform, varying from intimate dinners to large-scale dinner parties:
• Intimate Dinners: Typically reserved for eight to 12 people and mostly hosted in homes, parks or public dining spaces. After applying for a host position with OneTable, individuals are accepted into the program and given "Nourishment" credit to purchase food and other materials from partnering markets or grocers, which aid in the preparation process.
• Shabbat Dinner Events: Hosted by select entrepreneurs who create events, often held in restaurants or other private dining venues for 25 to 60 people, who must purchase individual tickets.
• Nosh:pitality Events: Serve as social gatherings, as well as skill building workshops, to give OneTable hosts the opportunity to learn cooking, challah-baking, mixology and ritual facilitation techniques, prior to their hosted Shabbat dinner.
"Chicago is truly one of the most beautiful cities in the world," said Kline. "The Windy City is a crown jewel featuring a stunning skyline, friendly neighborhoods, and one of the best culinary scenes in the country. Chicago millennials have shared with us that they're craving the chance to meet other people and slow down on Friday nights, and that makes Chicago the perfect fit for the next OneTable city."
Hosts are encouraged to participate in one-on-one "Shabbat coaching" with OneTable's trained expert hosts in order to answer any questions or concerns the individual may have before hosting Shabbat dinner, such as how to create a welcoming space. OneTable's hosting hotline provides answers to questions like the appropriate amount of food needed to feed 8 guests versus 15. OneTable also supports hosts with food credit and material needs for the dinners in order to help elevate and simplify the overall experience.
With the support from its operating partners and initial funders, The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, The Paul E. Singer Foundation and an anonymous funder in Chicago, OneTable is carrying out its mission in New York and Chicago, with plans for future expansion.
About OneTable
In 2014, Aliza Kline, founding executive director of OneTable launched the New York-based national initiative, which invites millennials to create a sustainable and customized Shabbat dinner practice. As a non-profit organization, OneTable is the result of a two-funder collaboration with a common goal of re-vamping Friday nights for the Jewish community.
Hosts and guests may choose from three different types of Shabbat-oriented events, via its online platform, varying from intimate dinners to large-scale dinner parties.
Kline's team is built of millennials with experience in various areas of the program, such as Jessica Minnen, OneTable's Resident Rabbi with a very unique, post-denominational skill set, making her an innovator in the Jewish community. Currently, OneTable dinners are hosted through Feastly, an online social dining platform that simplifies the process of finding dinners in specific geographic areas, and is now accepting applications to host Shabbat dinner events in New York and Chicago for the remainder of 2015.
For more information on OneTable or to host your own Shabbat dinner in Chicago, visit http://onetable.org/our-second-city/. To learn more about becoming a partner or nourishment option in Chicago, please email Eryn ( @ ) onetable dot org.
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