Resources for Dialogue
The Jewish Dialogue Group has created a number of publications to help people conduct dialogue programs, including a guidebook for facilitors and an article about bringing Jewish teachings and traditions into dialogue programs. See our publications page for these materials.
The organizations and articles below explain different approaches to dialogue, tell stories of successful dialogues, and provide materials that you can use in your programs. The tools are handouts that can be integrated into dialogue sessions.
Organizations 
Articles Agendas Tools
Organizations
- Public Conversations Project
- National Coalition Building Institute
- National Issues Forum
- Dance Exchange, an organization in Washington, D.C., that offers a number of tools for using movement exercises to foster dialogue
Articles
Dialogue Training aids Communication of Middle East Issues
by Miriam Gottfried
The Wesleyan Argus
October 4, 2002
A report from the Wesleyan University student newspaper about a
dialogue program that Jewish students there conducted with the help of
the Public Conversations Project.
The Magic of Dialogue
by Daniel Yankelovich
The Nonprofit Quarterly
Volume 8, Issue 3
Fall 2001
A short article with a useful definition of dialogue and practical
advice for people want to participate in or facilitate dialogue.
Agendas
Sample Agenda
We use this for many of our one-time community dialogue sessions. It is based on a model by the Public Conversations Project. Feel free to modify this document for your own dialogue sessions.
Agenda for a Dialogue about the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War
This agenda was developed by Kol Tzedek West Philadelphia Synagogue for
a dialogue about the Israel-Lebanon War. The format is inspired by a
dialogue that JDG hosted at Kol Tzedek and is also based on the Public
Conversations Project model. You can also read a description of the event.
Tools
Distinguishing Debate from Dialogue
from the Public Conversations Project
A handout that describes what we mean by dialogue and how this contrasts with debate.
A set of communal guidelines, rooted in traditional Jewish texts, for communicating across differences in respecful, constructive ways. This document was developed at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York City in 2001 and has been adopted by other synagogues as well.
Jewish Text Handout
A one-page document with a few key Jewish texts that support the
practice of dialogue. For a more detailed explanation of Jewish
teachings that support dialogue, as well as suggestions of ways that
you can make use of Jewish teachings as a facilitator, see our article,
Dialogue in the Jewish Tradition.
