Dear Louisville Jewish Community:
Last week, members of our Jewish community gathered at Adath Jeshurun for the first public event of A Year of Civil Discourse (YOCD). YOCD was created to bring our community together to discuss important Jewish issues, give voice to a range of perspectives, and remain connected—even and especially when we disagree.
We are grateful for the community’s strong engagement and want your input as we plan what comes next.
What we’ve accomplished:
- 110 Jewish Louisvillians received civil discourse training from Resetting the Table.
- 26 community members received advanced training as facilitators.
- Three advisory groups—Clergy, Community, and Facilitators—were formed.
- More than 100 people participated in dialogue circles on antisemitism.
- More than 250 people attended our first public event, an interview with scholar and author Dara Horn. Attendees represented a broad cross-section of our community, and more than 15% were attending a Jewish community event for the first time.
The dialogue circles received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with participants reporting that they gained understanding of differing perspectives and felt more connected to the community.
Feedback on the Dara Horn event was more mixed. While 78% of survey respondents rated the program highly, others felt that the format and content did not sufficiently reflect YOCD’s goal of giving voice to a range of opinions. We are listening carefully to all of this feedback and will use it in selecting speakers, developing programs, and shaping YOCD’s direction.
What’s next:
First, please complete the attached survey and tell us what topics, speakers, formats, and other elements would make YOCD meaningful to you.
Second, our next public events will be November 17–19, featuring Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer, Co-President of the Shalom Hartman Institute, for a two-and-a-half-day program focused on emerging Jewish identity issues. Your survey responses will help shape the program.
Third, please consider joining a dialogue circle. Circles will take place during the High Holy Days at several synagogues and again in October and November. Watch for dates and registration information, or contact YOCD at [email protected].
Thank you for your engagement. We are undertaking important and challenging work together. We will learn what works, what doesn’t, and how we can build a more connected Jewish community during these extraordinary times—even and especially when we disagree.
The YOCD Team
