I realize your point isn't specifically about the program, it's that in "intollerant" red states there's warm and fuzzy outreach.

Still, I always wonder how successful such programs can be. You would think that the individuals from both camps most interested in bridge building are those that have least identification to their own camp, i.e. the most assimilated Jews and Muslims. (Maybe I'm wrong.) So if that's the case, what are they building a bridge to? It'll just be assimilated secular Americans getting along together. That's nice, but that was never a problem.

Real bridge building would involve getting strongly identifying members of the gruops to get to know each other and try to find compromise. Like saying to a religious Muslim "how 'bout you stop supporting this charity since it supports suicide bombers?" and to a religious Jew "how 'bout you suggest to your second cousin in Gaza that when the order comes to evacuate, he leaves?"
 

I'm sure the program itself will be mushy. But it's kinda warm-n-fuzzy.
 

Like roadkill saturated by a desert thunderstorm in July?