Episode 31: Designing OneTable - Aliza Kline

Aliza Kline, Executive Director of OneTable [1] and former Executive Director of Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh, [2]  joins Judaism Unbound for the third episode in a four-episode series on Judaism's relationship to art and artists. She explores the ways in which design thinking can play a crucial role in successful Jewish institutions, along with some of the unique contributions of the two organizations that she has directed to contemporary Judaism.

Image Credit: ELI Talks

(0:01 - 13:22): Kline begins the episode by discussing the beginnings of Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh. [3] She outlines what a mikveh is, what needs they have traditionally been able to fulfill, and some new needs that Mayyim Hayyim set out to meet in the lives of individuals and communities today. 

(13:23 - 25:03): She elaborates on ways that Mayyim Hayyim connects with people on both an individual and a communal level, and then segues into a discussion of OneTable, the organization she new directs. She also hones in on the ways that particular forms of design thinking play into OneTable's relationship to the concept of Shabbat dinner. [4] [5]

Image Credit: OneTable.org

(25:04 - 45:44): Kline continues by putting forth her argument for why Shabbat dinner can be a meaningful, important part of people's lives, even for those who are not particularly religious. In closing, she explores what it means to make Judaism your own, and gives her own answer to one of the ever-present questions of our podcast -- Why be Jewish?

[1] To learn more about OneTable, take a look at their website, OneTable.org.

[2] Explore what Mayyim Hayyim has to offer on their website.

[3] Anita Diamant is one of the people who played a pivotal role in the establishment of Mayyim Hayyim. To hear from Diamant about that process in a bit more detail, along with a wide variety of other topics, listen to Episode 12 of Judaism Unbound which featured Diamant as our guest.

[4] Explore the concept of design thinking in more depth at www.WhatIsDesignThinking.org. Watch their video by clicking the link directly to the right.

[5] If you would like to create a Shabbat dinner with OneTable yourself, you can learn how to do so at this link.