What is a Village?
The Village Movement started with Beacon Hill Village in Boston over 15 years ago. In 2000, a group of twelve adults aged 60 and over came together to start the nonprofit Beacon Hill Village, a grassroots, self-governing, self-supporting community. This unique Village arose out of community members’ desire to reside in their own homes while being able to access services that addressed their changing lifestyles over time. Since the launch of the Beacon Hill Village, more and more communities have begun to open their own Villages.
Although every Village is different, each Village is based on a common principle that it will link older adults together to help one another stay in their homes and continue to lead active, joyous and meaningful lives. Villages are founded by members of the community (whether that be a neighborhood or a faith-based community), and each Village develops an organizational structure and offerings based on the needs of that community. For some Villages, this means providing a full suite of events and services through staff or volunteers, while others may specialize in providing referrals to other community resources. Every Village recognizes the power of personal connection in helping members remain active and engaged.
The Synagogue Village Network is creating a new paradigm for engaging active older adults by promoting the Village model and providing support for synagogues to explore and establish Villages to meet the unique needs of their community
Thank you for your interest in exploring synagogue village.
The Synagogue Village Network (SVN) is here to support you, provide resources and work with you throughout the process. We have developed a toolkit which will take you through the stages of development and we are available for consultation as well.