For the Sake of Argument

Harnessing the power of passionate disagreement

We believe in healthy arguments.

Healthy arguments make us smarter and bring us closer. They spark learning, growth, and connection through and because of our differences. 

We’re here to help you unlock their power.

For the Sake of Argument is a non-partisan educational initiative founded and directed by Abi Dauber Sterne and Robbie Gringras, with generous support from the Jim Joseph Foundation.

In a deeply divided world, we’re committed to advancing healthy arguments as a game-changer in the field of education.

We develop tools and techniques to help you engage in healthy arguments in your home, school, campus, workplace, or community.

In the first phase of our work, we’re using Israel education as our core focus area. As we research and understand more about the impact of our work, we plan to develop new resources encompassing other issues.

We’ve helped 50+ organizations unlock the power of healthy arguments

It's Been a Year: war Stories 2

Explore our newest collection of four argument stories designed to guide you through the challenging questions that have emerged from the war over the past year.

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Harness the power of
healthy arguments

Our book

Stories for the Sake of Argument features 24 short stories about contentious issues relating to Israel and the Jewish world.

Our resources

Our resource center is packed with hands-on tools and materials to help you master the art of healthy argument.

Our workshops

Learn how to engage in healthy arguments in your family, school, campus, workplace, or community.

Argument Circles
Shaking up Israeli Education
4-Part Training Series
Want to explore how to integrate healthy arguments
within your organization? 
Let’s talk

What people are saying

Workshop

A super helpful session, thank you!

The session helped me to envision how facilitated conversations on Israel might play out in select communities that we are now approaching about hosting similar conversations. These would be less about navigating disagreement and more about toeing into hard conversations about Israel.

Senior Staff Member
UJA-Federation of New York
Workshop

For the Sake of Argument demonstrates to participants the value of leaning into, and even embracing, argument rather than shying away from it.

Using stories as a jumping-off point, participants learn to direct their emotions and opinions in constructive ways that lead to productive conversations and new understandings. I highly recommend this unique, groundbreaking educational program for Jewish educators everywhere.

Rabbi Michael Emerson
Director of Special Projects at Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
The Book

It’s rare that a text can accom­mo­date both indi­vid­ual study and class­room learn­ing.

Yet in their lat­est edu­ca­tion­al resource, Sto­ries for the Sake of Argu­ment, Rob­bie Gringras and Abi Dauber Sterne do just that. Their book is an invalu­able plat­form for stu­dents and teach­ers alike to explore some of the thornier and more divi­sive ques­tions that Israelis and Amer­i­cans face daily.

Marc Katz
The Jewish Book Council
The Book

I am so grateful to have Stories for the Sake of Argument as an integral part of our Shabbat conversations

Abi Dauber Sterne and Robbie Gringras’s book, Stories for the Sake of Argument, reminds us each week that knowing our perspective requires that we constantly shift the seat we are in so we are seeing situations from more than our own eyes. I am so grateful to have Stories for the Sake of Argument as an integral part of our Shabbat conversations as each week, we turn to a new story and discuss. Not only has this book shifted how we argue but also we are better listeners and have learned to take in all the information before stating opinions or debating.

Jesica Sweedler DeHart
The Wandering Bookseller
Workshop

Thank you for the wonderful session. To say it hit the mark would be an understatement.

The feedback from the students was exceptionally positive, all stressing just how helpful it was - the role of argument, the specifics of that as pedagogy, and of course, applying it to education about Israel.

Jeremy Leigh
Coordinator of the Richard J. Scheuer Israel Seminar at HUC-JIR
Workshop

You were both fantastic facilitators and the workshop was really interesting.

I appreciate the practical ideas and tools you shared.

Yael Shapira
Director of Network Engagement and Programs, OLAM
The Book

This book calls for interactive wrestling and deep engagement.

This book represents the creative handicraft of two master educators, who use the format of stories and the processing of narratives to help shape more dignified, enduring, respectful and meaningful conversations across differences. Stories for the Sake of Argument has an important place in homes, classrooms, boardrooms and libraries world-over.

Yossi Klein Halevi
Senior fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute
Founding Funder

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