The Importance of Community

A Jewish and Scholarly Perspective on Building Healthy Societies

Abstract

Community plays a vital role in the psychological, spiritual, and physical development of individuals and the preservation of collective virtues. Rooted in ancient traditions and underscored by contemporary scholarship, the value of community lies in its ability to nurture youth, foster trust, safeguard mental and physical health, and promote social equity. Despite its foundational importance, many societies fail to cultivate healthy communities, often due to a breakdown in trust, rising inequality, and misplaced values. This paper integrates scholarly research with Torah and Jewish principles to propose a radical reorientation toward a more inclusive, respectful, and holistic community model—one that prioritizes people over wealth and ensures no one is left behind.

1. Introduction

The Hebrew word for community, kehilla, denotes not just a group of people but a sacred union with shared responsibilities and moral obligations. From the teachings of the Torah to modern social theory, community is considered the essential unit of human flourishing. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote, “Community is the place where we learn the grammar of empathy, where we discover the power of we instead of I” (Sacks, 2007). This essay investigates the role of community in nurturing youth, reinforcing virtues, and promoting health, while analyzing why societies often fail and offering Torah-based principles for revitalization.

2. The Role of Community in Nurturing Youth

Youth are shaped not merely by families or schools, but by the broader community that surrounds them. According to developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, a child’s growth is deeply influenced by the microsystem of community—neighbors, institutions, and role models (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Community provides informal mentoring, reinforces cultural and ethical values, and offers emotional safety.

In Jewish tradition, the responsibility for the youth is communal. The Talmud teaches that “All of Israel are responsible for one another” (Shevuot 39a), highlighting a collective duty to educate, protect, and inspire the next generation. The mitzvah of chinuch (education) is not limited to parents, but a shared task of the kehilla, which must embody the values it seeks to instill. In the absence of such support, youth become more susceptible to alienation, violence, or apathy.

3. Community and the Preservation of Virtue

Communities function as the social vessels through which values such as respect, humility, generosity, and justice are transmitted and practiced. The Torah repeatedly stresses the importance of collective virtue. “Justice, justice shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20) is not an individual call but a societal mission.

Moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre argued that virtue is not sustained in isolation but only within a tradition-bound community that honors the narrative of its people (MacIntyre, 1981). The Jewish people, through centuries of exile and return, have preserved their moral fabric by sustaining robust communities rooted in mitzvot, Shabbat observance, acts of chesed (kindness), and tzedakah (justice-giving). A healthy community acts as a moral compass, holding each member accountable while lifting the collective standard of decency.

4. Health and Wholeness: Community as a Pillar of Mental and Physical Well-being

There is overwhelming evidence that strong community ties correlate with better physical and mental health. Social connection has been found to reduce risk of depression, anxiety, and even mortality (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010). Isolation, by contrast, is a predictor of heart disease, substance abuse, and early death.

In Jewish law, the principle of pikuach nefesh (saving a life) overrides nearly all other commandments. Health—both physical and mental—is central to Jewish ethics. The communal obligation to care for the sick (bikur cholim), to feed the hungry, and to provide emotional support reflects the Torah’s call for holistic well-being. As Maimonides taught, “The health of the body is a part of the way of God” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De’ot 4:1).

5. Building a Healthy, Inclusive, and People-Centered Community

To build a community that is respectful, inclusive, non-envious, and people-focused, several principles must be instituted:

a. Inclusivity through Torah’s Vision of Dignity

The Torah commands us to “love the stranger” (Deuteronomy 10:19) no fewer than 36 times. The stranger represents the vulnerable other—those marginalized by society. A healthy community invites them in and treats them with kavod(honor). This includes the elderly, disabled, immigrants, and those of differing beliefs.

b. Eradicating Envy through Gratitude and Purpose

The Tenth Commandment forbids coveting. Envy destroys community by sowing resentment and competition. Through a culture of hakarat hatov (recognizing the good), individuals learn to appreciate their own path and contribute uniquely, not competitively.

c. A Focus on People over Wealth

Pirkei Avot 4:1 asks, “Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot.” True community wealth is measured not in economic capital but in social and spiritual bonds. Institutions should be designed to uplift people, not profit margins.

d. Equitable Wealth Distribution

The Torah commands systematic wealth redistribution through ma’aser (tithing), shmita (Sabbatical year), and yovel(Jubilee). These ensure that no one is permanently left behind. A modern community must reflect this by promoting social safety nets, affordable housing, and accessible education.

6. Why Communities Fail: The Breakdown of Trust

One of the primary reasons communities collapse is the erosion of trust. Francis Fukuyama defines social capital as “the ability of people to work together for common purposes in groups and organizations” and links it directly to trust (Fukuyama, 1995). Where trust declines, social fragmentation ensues, and communal bonds disintegrate.

In many modern societies, institutions have prioritized efficiency over empathy, privacy over participation, and consumption over covenant. When wealth and status become the ultimate values, relationships are commodified and inequality deepens. The Talmud warns that “jealousy, desire, and honor drive a man from the world” (Pirkei Avot 4:21).

7. Radical Torah-Based Solutions for Community Rebuilding

To turn this around, communities must root themselves once again in the Torah’s eternal wisdom. Below are radical yet ancient ideas:

a. Reinstate the Practice of Shabbat as Communal Time

Shabbat is not just rest—it is resistance to the tyranny of productivity. A universal day of rest, reflection, and reunion can be transformative. Families eat together. Neighbors visit. Prayer becomes a unifying force.

b. Restore the Value of Beit Midrash (House of Study) as a Civic Forum

The Jewish tradition of study is communal and dialogical. Turning local community centers or synagogues into batei midrash invites intergenerational learning, listening, and wisdom sharing. This creates an educated and morally grounded populace.

c. Rebuild Trust through Chavruta Partnerships

The chavruta model—two individuals studying together—is a microcosm of trust. Communities can adopt this by pairing youth with elders, business owners with job-seekers, rich with poor. Relationships breed understanding, and understanding restores trust.

d. Normalize Tzedakah as a Civic Obligation, Not Charity

Tzedakah, unlike charity, is not optional. It is justice. Community foundations should institutionalize systems where giving is structured, transparent, and guided by equity. In the words of the Rambam, the highest level of tzedakah is enabling someone to become self-sufficient (Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor 10:7).

e. Community Covenant Rituals

Borrowing from brit milah (covenant of circumcision), communities could create symbolic rituals of entry and responsibility—commitment ceremonies where newcomers, youths, and elders pledge service to the collective good.

8. Conclusion

The importance of community cannot be overstated. It is the bedrock of our identity, a nurturer of our youth, a protector of virtue, and a vital source of health and healing. Yet too often, communities falter due to a loss of trust, rising inequality, and a devaluation of human dignity.

Rebuilding demands more than policy. It requires a return to sacred principles—rooted in Torah and Jewish tradition—that teach us to see others as reflections of the Divine. When we commit to people over profit, to dignity over envy, and to covenant over consumption, we restore the human spirit and rebuild the walls of true community.

References

• Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Harvard University Press.
• Fukuyama, F. (1995). Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity. Free Press.
• Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T.B., & Layton, J.B. (2010). Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316.
• MacIntyre, A. (1981). After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory. University of Notre Dame Press.
• Maimonides. Mishneh Torah. Hilchot De’ot and Gifts to the Poor.
• Sacks, J. (2007). The Home We Build Together: Recreating Society. Continuum Books.
• Talmud Bavli. Shevuot 39a; Pirkei Avot.