Millennials are often defined as ‘the loneliest generation’ – but one app in the US is trying to tackle that problem for young Jews.
OneTable, a non-profit app, is trying to get more young people to celebrate Friday night dinners, known as Shabbat, that begin the day of rest celebrated by practising Jews.
Their aim is to use the app to make Shabbat a habit every week, and get more young Jews not only willing to attend these dinners but to actually host them – ensuring that the practice survives for the next generation.
For some, it is about ritual and prayer – but for many millennial Jews who see their Jewish identity as more cultural than religious, it’s also an important way to thwart loneliness in a bustling city like New York.
To find out more about religion apps, listen to the World Service’s Heart and Soul documentary about them here.
Producer: Sophia Smith Galer