Since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, many Jews around the world have found solace and fellowship in their own Jewish communities. That’s certainly the case for a group of local Jews who attend a monthly program series called Partners Baltimore.
A project of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, the program — which began last February — is “a grassroots effort,” says Rabbi Benyamin Moss, district director of NCSY Baltimore and co-founder of Partners Baltimore.
“We match people based on demographic and religious differences,” he says. “So maybe there are two lawyers, but one is Orthodox and one is Reform. The goal is to meet people they don’t know.”
Currently, approximately 500 people have attended Partners Baltimore sessions.
Partners Baltimore is based on the “Ten Paths to God” curriculum developed by the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth and a former member of Great Britain’s House of Lords.
Similar programs to Partners Baltimore were launched in Jewish communities in Detroit, Boca Raton and Del Ray Beach, Florida, as well as Toronto.
Currently held at the Edward A. Myerberg Center in Northwest Baltimore, each month’s session begins with a few minutes of socializing. Then, participants sit down, meet their partners and are given teachings by Rabbi Sacks for discussion.
Topics range from Israel and antisemitism to education and embracing change.
Jason Rubenstein, a realtor from Stevenson, has participated with Partners Baltimore since its inception.
“It’s important that we as Jews link together,” he says. “No matter if you wear a kippah, you don’t wear a kippah, you’re Orthodox, you’re not Orthodox, whatever your belief, there’s a commonality.”
A Beth Tfiloh congregant, Rubenstein says he appreciates the opportunity to pose questions to more observant partners about Torah, holidays and customs “without feeling judged.”
He says he also enjoys meeting new people.
“I’m a big networker and I love the fact that I can meet new people within my same community,” he says. “As a Jew, I know everyone is there for the same purpose. It’s really great.”
A native of Israel who grew up in Baltimore, Vered Taylor says she also values the opportunity to make new friends.
“After Oct. 7th, I, like many other community members, was looking for opportunities to be together and just share our feelings,” she says. “We knew we had to be among likeminded people who cared about the same things.”
Taylor, who also attends Beth Tfiloh, calls the first Partners Baltimore meeting she attended “powerful. It was very well attended. I saw many familiar faces and many new faces that I was eager to meet. You just saw the breadth of our community, coming together with very few barriers.
“I personally love the teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. He opens doors,” she says. “You read a passage of his and you can relate it to your own life in so many different ways — how he talks about Jewish ethics that really drive the way we lead our lives as Jewish people in this world.”
At her first meeting, Taylor met her learning partner Andrea Schulman, a Shomrei Emunah congregant who lives in Pikesville.
“This was really a unifying program for all facets of the community,” says Schulman. “People come together that normally wouldn’t come together, and not only are they coming together but they’re learning together, and they’re engaging in deep, meaningful conversations.”
Schulman says her new friendship with Taylor has moved beyond the study sessions.
“Vered and I had conversations about our families and family in Israel, and pulled at each other’s heartstrings and have been in touch,” she says. “We text each other and I saw her in the grocery store. It was like running into an old friend. It is really an amazing experience.”
Rabbi Moss says he is moved by how partners connect outside of the meetings. He says he was stopped in the community by a Partners Baltimore participant who told him he recently visited Israel. While at his hotel, he felt compelled to reach out to his partner back home in Baltimore.
The partner had a daughter in Israel who was not well. “So the person called his partner and said, ‘What’s your daughter’s name? I’m at the Kotel [Western Wall] and I want to say a prayer for her.’ Isn’t that an unbelievable story?” says Rabbi Moss.
Rabbi Moss says he hopes more community members will get involved with Partners Baltimore.
“All the booklets are in English and no knowledge is needed,” he says. “There’s a level playing field. You learn so much and it’s beautiful.”
For information about Partners Baltimore, visit associated.org/partners-baltimore/.
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