Applications Now Open: 2026 Marvin C. Goldstein Project Understanding Retreat

Saturday, April 18 – Sunday, April 19, 2026

Are you ready to help shape a future rooted in understanding and connection?

Project Understanding is a transformative weekend retreat where Black and/or Jewish leaders gather to explore one another’s lived experiences, engage difficult conversations, and build relationships that strengthen Atlanta’s civic and moral fabric.

For more than 30 years, this retreat has been a signature initiative of the AJC’s Atlanta Black/Jewish Coalition, ensuring that the bonds between Atlanta’s Black, Jewish, and Black-Jewish communities continue to grow and evolve.

2026 Retreat Cohorts

The 2026 retreat includes two age-based cohorts and is open to those who identify as Black and/or Jewish and live in metro Atlanta:

• Marvin C. Goldstein Project Understanding Retreat for Emerging Leaders (ages 25–39)
• Project Understanding Retreat Over 40 (ages 40–60)

Application deadline: Tuesday, February 24 at 11:59 p.m.

Apply today.

“Project Understanding is a gift. Anyone that wants to learn, be pushed in their assumptions, encounter new perspectives, and meet a diverse group of smart, engaged and thoughtful folks should participate. I am thoroughly grateful for the opportunity.”
— 2024 Project Understanding Participant

Questions? Contact atlanta@ajc.org.

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History of Project Understanding

Atlanta’s Black and Jewish communities have shared a unique and evolving relationship. As the challenges facing each community have grown more complex, so too has the need for intentional dialogue.

Project Understanding was born out of collaboration between the Atlanta Black/Jewish Coalition and ACCESS, AJC’s young professionals division. Since its founding in 1989 and held every other year, the retreat has created space for emerging and established leaders to connect across difference and deepen shared commitments to justice.

The retreat serves as a forum where people of influence engage in meaningful dialogue, share lived experiences, and build networks critical to Atlanta’s ongoing bridge-building work.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply?

Adults who identify as Black and/or Jewish and live in the greater Atlanta area. The Emerging Leaders cohort is for ages 25–39. The Over 40 cohort is for ages 40–60.

What can I expect during the retreat?

This two-day retreat encourages honest, forthright engagement on issues impacting both communities. Structured exercises foster open exchange and real conversation beyond surface-level dialogue. Participants are expected to approach the experience with empathy and a willingness to presume positive intent.

One core objective is to nurture enduring relationships, and participants should be prepared to continue investing in those connections after the retreat concludes.

Who is selected?

Participation is selective. Alumni include corporate executives, nonprofit leaders, and prominent civic and political figures throughout Atlanta.

What is the time commitment?

The retreat runs from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening. All participants are required to stay overnight at the hotel to maximize relational engagement.

Where does it take place?

The retreat is held in person at a hotel conference center outside the Atlanta area.

Is there a cost?

The participation fee is $100 for Emerging Leaders and $180 for the Over 40 cohort. Scholarships are available. Participation includes meals and hotel accommodations.

The Emerging Leaders cohort is subsidized through the Marvin C. Goldstein Project Understanding Retreat Endowment Fund.

Will meals and lodging be provided?

Yes. Meals and hotel accommodations are included. Kosher dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice.

Will I have a roommate?

Yes. Sharing a room is an intentional part of the experience, designed to deepen connection and foster trust.

Do I need to be religious to participate?

No. The retreat is open to Black and/or Jewish adults of all backgrounds and levels of observance.

What if I observe Shabbat?

Participants who observe Shabbat can coordinate early arrival to accommodate observance needs.

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Who Was Marvin C. Goldstein?

Marvin C. Goldstein (1917–1997) was an Atlanta orthodontist and real estate investor whose legacy includes opening Atlanta’s first integrated hotel in 1964—The American Hotel. The hotel became a gathering space for members of the Black community, including civil rights leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Goldstein’s refusal to compromise on integration—including rejecting segregated facilities—helped shape Atlanta’s civil rights-era landscape. His legacy reflects courage, conviction, and bridge-building in action.

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In a time of polarization, Project Understanding offers something rare: structured space for courageous conversation, relational trust, and long-term partnership.

If you are ready to step into dialogue that challenges assumptions and builds lasting connection, apply today.