What is this project?
This is project by the New York City chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom to enable more Jewish communities to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict respectful and constructive ways. Our volunteer facilitators were trained to use a model of discussion developed by two nonpartisan organizations, the Public Conversations Project and the Jewish Dialogue Group, to foster dialogue among Jews about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Why should my congregation, organization or friends participate in a dialogue?
Discussion within the Jewish community about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is fraught with contention and nervousness. The years of the second intifada, followed by the violence in Gaza and Lebanon during the summer of 2006, have made many in the community reluctant to even raise the topic. In many synagogues, congregants and leaders are afraid to voice their concerns for fear of alienating others or creating conflict; organizations maintain distance from the issue for the sake of shalom bayit, “a peaceful home”; and social gatherings can become awkward when divergent views share the same space.

Dialogues such as those offered here are safe, controlled spaces in which people can broach the topic, learn about each other, and talk through their own ideas, feelings, and questions. A participant in a Jewish Dialogue Group facilitation in Philadelphia said, “As a result of my experience with the Jewish Dialogue Group, the world is more interesting, less black and white. My conversations on Israel-Palestine are more satisfying. I am more tolerant of difference. My activism is more thoughtful and less reactive.”

We aspire to a level of constructive discussion around the Middle East conflict for every American Jew, which is why we are bringing this project to New York City.

Do you represent a political agenda by doing these dialogues?
No, this project is simply to encourage more constructive, safe and pluralistic discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Brit Tzedek v’Shalom supports a negotiated, two-state solution between Israel and Palestinians, our facilitators do not speak about their political views or advocate for any agenda during the dialogues. Their sole purpose is to create a safe space for synagogue members to talk with each other across political differences.

What does a dialogue consist of?
After creating ground rules for group discussion, participants break into groups of no more than seven. The facilitator asks a series of three open-ended questions. Each participant has a few minutes to answer each question without being interrupted, questioned, or pressured. After three rounds of questions, there is some time for a less structured and more free-flowing conversation among participants. Throughout both parts of the dialogue, the facilitator ensures that each participant speaks in turn, within the time limits, without attempting to persuade others, and without feeling the need to “respond” to other participants’ answers. At the conclusion, participants share insights they’ve learned about themselves and their fellow community members as a large group. A typical dialogue lasts two hours.

How many people can participate?
We can host dialogues for as small a group as four and as large as 35. These facilitations are ideal for a range of gatherings, from synagogues seeking an understanding of the range of opinion within their own community to small groups of friends or volunteer teams.