Imagine living in a small, close-knit community where over 100 secular and religious families share daily life side by side. How do you balance public space and funding, different religious practices, prayer styles, and values without losing the harmony, especially as new families arrive?

Set in the mountains outside Hevron, Adora is experiencing a major growth spurt as more families arrive seeking a community built on mutual respect, active volunteering, and a deep love for the land.

Rabbi Eitan Kupietzky shares his experience guiding this expansion, comparing the delicate balance of community needs to managing a large household (he has 8 kids!). He also dives into his impactful work supporting youth throughout southern Israel through after-school initiatives and educational programs.

This inspiring conversation offers a genuine blueprint for how diverse communities can thrive together. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend!

Rabbi Eitan Kupietzky is the Managing Director of the Gimmel Foundation. You can support his shul building and the Gimmel Foundation programs with the following links:

Adora Shul: https://www.charidy.com/Shivtei-Yisrael

Gimmel: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=KKDBLVEW825AW

Imagine you've spent 2 years as the president building a shul, literally and communally, and your term ends. Should you be concerned about who becomes the next president and if everything will become upended?

JJ isn't worried. In his view, stepping back and bringing in new blood is the best way a community truly succeeds.

Is there a time to freeze membership or to encourage a breakaway? Should long-time members get seating preference over newcomers?

This conversation asked more questions than gave answers, though the questions are often better than the answers. If your community has solved them then please reach out!

JJ Sussman, is the International Director at Gesher (www.gesher.co.il) and the host of the Impacting Israel podcast giving an English-speaking Israel-engaged audeince a behind-the-scenes look at some of the pressing issues facing Israel today.

https://open.spotify.com/show/0aiVkueKrtsPzCVQlSIlpr?si=6994b0eed5f54e4f

I was skeptical about joining this interview.

When it comes to talking about communities, I prefer to discuss with the builders who do not have financial incentives. So when Zak, a real estate agent, reached out I was honest with him about my hesitation:

"If I join your podcast, I'm going to be real about Carmei Gat. About my shul Carmei Zion and the real situation with the schools and ganim. I don't want this to feel like a real estate talk. Are you ok with that?"

I'm glad he was.

It was fun talking to Zak and reflecting on some of the community-building insights we've picked up over the years in Carmei Gat.

You can listen to our conversation on my podcast Community Blueprints, on Zak's DHR podcast, or YouTube channel. Hope you enjoy it too!

https://open.spotify.com/show/6QU93IfCqYBAjqLyxOaNQP?si=gy3l2DKXRoqt0IDtxQD8SA&utm_source=copy-link

https://www.instagram.com/zak_in_israel?igsi=YTU0MWRlbW5iMGMx&utm_source=qr

https://m.youtube.com/@DHRPod

Thanks for the intro Hillel

Are democracies healthy for communal thriving? Should communal leaders switch out? What happens when communities grow and their demographics change?

Neve Daniel started in the 80s but our guests didn't join until the second and third expansion. By then there was already an established leadership, direction, and one "mercazi" shul.

After talking about the breathtaking views 1,000 meters above sea level, R' Jeremy and Ilan shared their leadership roles in the box and parking spot and their take on all-star teams over plurality.

Like, comment, and share and, until next time, keep building y'all!

Pnina and Judah came to Zichron Yaakov at different times and fill different leadership functions in their diverse community that doesn't specifically surround a certain shul or neighborhood.

Pnina volunteered to join the city counsel to ensure budgets were set aside to build their local school and to get resources for the olim .

Judah was looking for more space and air, leaving his place in Jersualem and, with his wife, took on the leadership at their local shul.

A lot to unpack including the role of politics and how to manage changing demographics, and avoiding burnout.

Rate 5 stars and share this episode along!

What if the biggest problem in your community isn’t a lack of volunteers, but a misunderstanding of human nature?

In this episode of I reflect on how previous episodes led me to understand why the 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) that 20% of people will do 80% of volunteering work should not be “fixed” but embraced.

This episode delivers practical, immediately useful shifts you can apply right away:

• Why broad calls for help (like WhatsApp messages) don’t work and what to do instead

• How to reduce volunteer burnout

• The hidden flaw in incentive systems that reward the wrong people

• How small actions, like personal asks and visible gratitude, can transform participation

• Why the 80/20 dynamic is not a problem, but a powerful feature of healthy communities

If you’ve ever felt frustrated trying to get more people involved, this episode offers a refreshing, realistic framework for engagement, one that values both your core volunteers and the quieter majority.

Because building a thriving community isn’t about getting everyone to do everything but appreciated the role each person contributes to the greater community.

And until next time, keep building y'all!

When Yosef returned from his gap year, Golf Manor Synagogue, an icon of the Cincinnati Jewish community dating back to the 1800s, was a shell of itself. After a breakaway split the membership, the once-vibrant congregation was on life support.

Despite initial hesitation because of his age, Yosef stepped up to serve as Chairman and partnered with incoming Rabbi Alt to begin revitalizing the institution. In this episode, we explore how they used strategic partnerships and community feedback, both formal and informal, to experiment, adapt, and bring people back through the doors.

Enjoy the episode, comment, share, and rate it 5 stars so more people can discover it.

Until next time, keep building, y’all.

Neve Shamir is one of the newest communities in Ramat Beit Shemesh and has been rapidly growing since 2022. Raphy was an early adopter who moved from the nearby Mishkafayim neighborhood but initially was making the 15 minute walk to his old community.

Fast forward a couple years and 15 locations, Avnei Shamir has over 80 families, an incredible rav, and has become a soft landing for Anglo Olim which make up the majority of their membership.

Raphy shares his vision for a broader communal feel outside his shul and how to engage the community to keep maximum participation.

Rate this episode 5 stars and share it around so others can be inspired as well.

And, until next time, keep building y'all!

Mishkafayim is an extension of Ramat Beit Shemesh that feels like its own enclave.

Aaron moved in the early days of Mishkafayim and has helped build a couple of the many shuls in the few blocks including Mevakshei Emes. Although there are many micro communities they, like a yishuv, come together at different points of the year for joint programming.

Netanel joined Mevakshei Emes and played a key role in the growth and ongoing success. This rabbi led community continues to find creative ways to service their community beyond the walls of their shul which are bursting at the seams.

Enjoy and share episode 10 of the Community Blueprints podcast and rate us 5 stars.

Until next time, "keep building y'all"

Mill Hill East Jewish Community started when Avi moved to the area and missed the community life from his previous neighborhood and Josh was working on the United Synagogue team focused on creating new community.

With careful thought and intentionality, Josh and Avi constructed the framework to attract the diverse crowd of mostly younger families, some who had never paid membership to a shul before.

From grassroots bringing pamphlets door to door and meeting in a church to being over 500 members in their own space, this is an inspirational community with much to learn from.

Enjoy this episode, rate it 5 stars and share it along.

And, until next time, keep building y'all!