Hakhel Resources: Community Resilience
A unique resource library for Jewish Intentional Communities.
Inspiration. Tools. Support.
Loneliness: The Existential Jewish Problem
How can we make our communities nourish our broader needs of its members and become a force in tackling lonliness?
Ask your community members about lonely moment they have sensed within the community. Ask them to share it, and offer ideas for gestures which could according to them minimize that feeling. Write it down and share with all the community. Try do the same with the children.
Section: Care for Community, Work with People
Makom?s Community in Mitzpe Ramon
Have you thought about it: The link between parenting and community life? Take a look!
Ask yourself- What are the parenting challenges you face in your daily life? Ask your fellows what are they struggling with. Imagine what could you and your community gain from sharing, processing and learning together parenting tools....
Section: Work with People
The Power of Community
Communtiy can be a framework for human growth and spirituality, but it can also be a place where people feel opressed, controlled and marginalized by the collective. In Jewish tradition we have a plethora of resources exploring this tension, and guiding us in the right direction. This sourcesheet brings a collection of some of them
After studying the texts, chart a table with two columns: on one side write together what in the community increases your level of freedom, and on the other side write what does not. After you have mapped this, try to figure out as a group how you can better manage the balance between individual freedom (and loneliness) and collective commitment (and togetherness)
The Israeli Diaspora as a Catalyst for Jewish Peoplehood
One of the biggest questions to be tackled: what is the significance of Israeli diaspora in Jewish peoplehood?
What is your experience in this context?
Section: Connect via Judaism, Work with People
Long-Term Challenges for Jewish Communities
?I? need a ?we? to become truly ?me?. What are the possible answers to nationalism, xenophobia and antisemitism? Be surprised of this sharp new concept.
What are your natural reactions once facing antisemitism?
Section: Connect via Judaism
Makom?s “Tarbut Community in Afula”
Look at this inspiring initiative and see how culture and art can bring people together.
What are your your wildest ideas? What would have happened if you would dare to bring it out and invite your community for a co-creation? Try!
Section: Connect via Culture and Leisure
Makom?s “Tarbut Community in Afula”
Co-creation is the heart of a community. Check how theater and feminism have formed the cornerstones of this community.
If you would have the chance to create a theater production, what would it be about? What would it look like?
Section: Connect via Culture and Leisure
The Individual and the Community
For many people, joining a community can require a change of mindset. This article gives insight into the process the indiviual goes through upon joining a community as well as the process a community goes through when new members join.
Section: Care for Community, Connect via Judaism
Outreach and Never Giving up on Someone
Inclusiveness and pluralism have become cornerstone vlues of our generation, and yet they are not easy to implememnt and accomplish. This collection of texts will take on a journey to explore the meaning of boundaries, "the other" and the inner circle.
While studying the texts, try to write down and share the main characteristics of your community. whatm akes it what it is? What is its identity? After defining what your community is, ask yourselves what is not? Where do we draw the line between "inside" and "outside", and how do we treat people respectfully on both sides of the line?
Section: Care for Community, Connect via Judaism
Learning and Doing With Our Committees
This sourcesheet was constructed for a specific US community, but we find it, and its questions, highly relevant to almost any community within the Hakhel network. Come learn and see for yourself
Read through the texts together, and discuss the questions within it
Section: Care for Community, Connect via Judaism
Lo Titgodedu: Do Not Separate Yourself from the Community
Being alone is defined as the first "not good" thing in the Torah, and leads to the creation of the first companionship. Along the same line, the commandment of "Lo Titgodedoo" means that we should not separate ourselves from one antoher even when we have deep disagreements.
After learning the sources ask yourself what do they mean to you as a community? Try to map out up to 3 major conflicts and/or disagreements you have within the community and ask yourselves what is more important: to be right or to be together?
Section: Care for Community, Connect via Judaism
Tags: Community Resilience, Loneliness
I Don’t Trust Rabbis, So I Became One
Rabbis and religious leaders can be a surce for inspiration and thriving communities, but sometimes they can do the opposite, unfortuantely. In this self revealing text, one of Hakhel's communities leaders shares his personal exprience in this journey, and how he chose to actually become a Rabbi and serve as a positive role model
Section: Care for Community, Connect via Judaism
Words of Experience: Starting a Community
Either you are a beginner or an expert, this is a good article to refresh your mind with.
Section: Care for Community
Tags: Activities Bank & Year Program, Alliance and Unity, Communal Life, Community Resilience, Decision Making and Management, Democracy - Sociocracy, Intentional Community, Leadership, Newcomers & Community Assembly, Rituals and Celebrations, Soft Skills and Heart-work, Teamwork, Vision, Volunteers
Social Permaculture – What Is It?
It's not just poetic, it's practical. Connection between nature's cycle and social constructions. This is true food for thought.
Section: Care for Community
Social Permaculture: Applying the Principles
What does it take to apply nature's wisdom into community life? In few minutes you can step into a new experiment with your community.
Section: Care for Community
