Building Bridges Cohort Celebrated Sukkot

A diverse cohort of community members recently marked the holiday following an 18-month educational program.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Judaism

Building Bridges Cohort Celebrated Sukkot

Live Poll

Do you believe intentional community-building programs are effective at bridging gaps between different social groups?

The Building Bridges cohort, a group composed of over 20 members from Baltimore's Jewish and Black communities, gathered for a potluck to celebrate Sukkot. This event followed a one-and-a-half-year program focused on fostering intentional community connections.

Why it matters

The program was designed to invest in bridge building between local Black and Jewish communities through shared cultural learning and storytelling. Participants utilized holiday curriculums and historical study to develop deeper relationships over the course of the initiative.

The cohort consists of more than 20 participants who engaged in monthly meetings for 1.5 years. The program is operated out of the Shaarei Tfiloh building in Baltimore.

The players

Building Bridges

This is a cohort program that unites members of the local Jewish and Black communities to foster relationship building.

Third Space

This organization operates out of the Shaarei Tfiloh building in Baltimore and intends to launch a new edition of the cohort.

The details

Participants engaged in monthly sessions to discuss historical context and personal identity journeys while exploring shared holiday traditions. The cohort also completed a field learning component that included travel to Civil Rights Movement sites in Selma, Montgomery, and Atlanta.

The cohort met monthly over the past 18 months.
The group gathered for a Sukkot potluck in October 2026.
The group plans to gather again during Chanukah in December 2026.

Culture Shift

This program reflects a broader trend of utilizing experiential historical education to bridge gaps between historically distinct community groups. By visiting the historical Civil Rights Movement sites in Alabama and Georgia, the cohort bridges past civil rights struggles with current community work.

Residents in Baltimore may see increased opportunities for cross-community engagement as the organization prepares for a new cohort launch. The program highlights how structured cultural exchanges can create lasting social ties within the city.

The takeaway

Participating in shared holiday traditions and historical study can provide a tangible framework for building trust across different community groups. These deep-dive cohorts demonstrate that consistent, long-term interaction is key to meaningful relationship development.

What happens next

The cohort plans to hold another gathering during Chanukah in December 2026, and Third Space intends to launch a new edition of the program in the future.