Healing Our Communities through Constructive Disagreement:
a transformational learning cohort in partnership with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
October 22 - November 19 | Virtual
12:30pm - 2:00pm ET | 9:30am-11:00am PT
In our current national and international moment, our communities feel like they are dividing along many constantly-shifting faultlines. As Jewish organizations, we can and must bring our communities together to engage with the many challenges we face every day – even when we strongly disagree.
A More Perfect Union is partnering with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, an international leader in Jewish learning and productive disagreement, to equip our partners with the knowledge and skills they need to mend divisions, overcome toxic polarization, and foster healthier communal conversations.
-
A More Perfect Union is convening a cohort of Jewish professionals to learn through Pardes’ Mahloket Matters framework, which draws on ancient Jewish wisdom and the latest social science to help Jewish professionals learn to facilitate constructive dialogue across differences within their communities.
-
Dates: 5 Sessions from October through November 2025
October 22
October 29
November 5
November 12
November 19
If for any reason one of these dates needs to be rescheduled, we will hold a makeup session on December 3
Time: 12:30pm - 2pm Eastern / 9:30am - 11am Pacific
Location: Zoom
Application Deadline: September 21, 2025
Attendees: Representatives of organizations in the Jewish Partnership for Democracy.
Partners in the Jewish Partnership for Democracy: APPLY NOW
Not yet a partner? JOIN NOW.
-
A More Perfect Union is thrilled to offer this training free of charge.
After the cohort, participants will deploy their new skills by hosting a dialogue-based event in their community. A More Perfect Union is excited to offer $100 stipends to all participants to support these conversations.
-
After these programs conclude, participants will share a reflection of their community conversation and a post-program survey.
Note: This cohort will not be able to run with fewer than 12 participants, and will not be able to accept more than 18 participants. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. (Caveat: multiple applicants per organization are welcome; however, only one applicant per organization will be accepted first come, first served. Additional applicants from the same organization will be selected randomly to fill any remaining spots after every applying organization has had one applicant accepted.)
Meet Our Instructor
Sefi Kraut is the Director of Mahloket Matters and has had the privilege of teaching Judaic Studies since 2004. She began her professional career teaching Tanakh to middle school students at a Jewish day school in Paramus, NJ. Upon moving to Israel in 2013, Sefi taught in several gap year programs before joining the faculty of the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators where she is thrilled to be involved in training the next generation of Jewish educators. As the Director of Mahloket Matters, Sefi has co-created a curriculum for teens called, “Mahloket Matters Teens: Navigating Inner Challenges and Societal Discord through Jewish Text and Social-Emotional Learning.” Sefi also develops and teaches Mahloket Matters fellowships and professional development workshops geared to organizational leaders, educators, school administrators, Rabbis, Hillel professionals, lay leaders, and more.
Director of Mahloket Matters,
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
