JJ Sussman says that we need to encourage Jews who might have disagreements to find common ground and meet each other face to face.

Josh Hasten interviews JJ Sussman, International Director of the Gesher Organization.

Gesher, Hebrew for “bridge,” tries to close the gaps between Jews from different religious and political backgrounds.

This goal is especially relevant as we are in the midst of the nine day mourning period leading up to Tisha B’Av which commemorates the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, with our sages teaching that the Second Temple was destroyed as a result of baseless hatred and slander between Jews.

Sussman says that his organization encourages Jews who might have disagreements to find common ground and meet each other face to face, as opposed to being behind a keyboard, in order to build those bridges.