Varda Institute for Community Building

This Thanksgiving, let's take a moment to reflect on the importance of community and intentionally creating spaces where people feel they belong. It's not just about sharing a meal, but what happens during the meal that increases social capital (the relationships in the community, within and amongst individuals, groups and organizations). It's about sharing kindness, support, and togetherness. As we celebrate, let’s remember how vital it is to build connections, and we encourage you to intentionally design your meals and get-togethers so that people leave feeling that they know each other better, that their strengths were seen, and that they have uplifted each other, so that we create spaces where everyone feels welcome. Grateful for the bonds we’ve built and the ones yet to come. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! #VardaInstitute #senseofbelonging #maketogethermatter #ThankfulTogether #BuildingCommunity #HappyThanksgiving

Mazel Tov to Sarale on the wedding of her daughter Tamar! ???? #Mazeltov #VardaInstitute

Thank you to Shira Weissman for acting as facilitator for our meeting 'Building Communities in Times of War', where we discussed life in Israel following October 7, our personal experiences, and the importance of creating a culture of belonging during this time, now more than ever. #VardaInstitute #Communitybuilding #senseofbelonging #maketogethermatter

Youth at Risk - Community at Risk: Youth as a Gateway to the Community by Dr. Sara Shadmi-Wortman(PhD), CEO and founder of the Varda Institute for Community Building. #VardaInstitute #communitybuilding #buildingbelonging #maketogethermatter #youthbuildcommunity #youthatrisk

Building a strong community is essential for enhancing quality of life everywhere—especially in regional councils where dedicated efforts shape the heart of small, rural communities. We’re thrilled to have launched a new initiative with the Community Coordinators of Mt. Hebron Regional Council! Together, we’ll explore ways to strengthen community connections, deepen residents' sense of belonging, and discuss the positive impact we aim to achieve. By the end, we’ll create an initial action plan to bring these ideas to life. Looking forward to seeing the growth and impact this journey will bring! From the Regional Council of Mt. Hebron: "Once a month the coordinators of Mount Hebron communities meet to become even more professional in their role! Today, we started a series of meetings with the 'Varda Institute', which specializes in Community Building. We discussed the definition and differences between community versus a sense of community, and which dimensions are reflected in a sense of community - meaningfulness, commitment, trust and belonging. Everyone mapped out their community, to assess the sense of community in their towns and settlements, so they could set goals for the upcoming year. What a privilege to accompany a team that maintains peer learning all the time." #VardaInstitute #communitybuilding #maketogethermatter #strongcommunity

Thank you to Avital Blonder, CEO and founder at Jindas – Social Urban Vitalization for this testimonial. #TheVardaInstitute #testimonial #maketogethermatter #communitybuilding

How do we measure a sense of community? What do we see when people feel they belong? We measure a sense of community by a shift in feelings and behaviors. These are the behaviors we will see: R retention I initiative C collaboration C collective action I increased giving #communitybuildingintro #TheVardaInstitute #Howdowebuildcommunity #senseofbelonging #maketogethermatter

How might you rewrite the mission and the vision of your organization in a way that will resonate with the original purpose, will be embraced by your organization’s employees, and will be reflected in changes in actions in the field? Read more to find out how we did this: In times of crisis, meaningful change sometimes begins by remembering our roots. Faced with an internal disconnect from its founding mission—"From a building to a home, from a group of houses to a neighborhood, from a crowd to a community"—this organization sought to fulfill its original mission. ?? Key Actions Taken: Defining Success: Introducing the “Community Index” to measure real impact on local communities. Empowering Roles: Establishing new roles like the Community Building Facilitator to create a sustainable impact across districts. Building a Shared Language: Fostering a culture of community building that resonates from the boardroom to each community center. ?? Overcoming Challenges: Change is rarely easy, and resistance occurred. But ultimately, this organization was able to reshape its vision, structure, and impact on local communities. Read more at https://lnkd.in/duMEq-b7 #TheVardaInstitute #communitybuilding #maketogethermatter #overcomingchallenges #rewriteyourmission #mission #vision

At our conference with ELEM Israel - Youth in Distress, we talked about how youth is a gateway to the community. When our youth are at risk, our communities are at risk. Hear from our CEO: "Youth are a central resource to the community building?- they have the ability to build community. It refers to the connection between the youth and the community in which they live, and assumes that the community's attitude towards its next generation will determine the essence (expression) of the "rebellion" - the uniqueness that youth are looking for in their marginalized situation. Community Building emphasizes the collaboration between all the different parts of the community—the government, civil bodies (youth movements, youth organizations, etc.), business sector and residents—to promote the youth as a force for community growth." - Sara Shadmi-Wortman(PhD)