What is the Village Way?

Imagine you are a young, Jewish immigrant spending their first 14 days in Israel isolated in quarantine, and the subsequent year in a socially distanced environment. Or, think of a native-born Israeli from a turbulent household suddenly spending twenty-four hours a day confined in it.

These are some of the circumstances that Israeli youth found themselves in over the past 18 months. The sad thing is that even during non-pandemic times, many young adults in Israel hail from similarly precarious situations.

More Than a Methodology

The Village Way methodology was initially created by educational visionary Chaim Peri at Yemin Orde Youth Village. Most of the children there have suffered trauma, including loss, neglect, abandonment, and extreme poverty. At Yemin Orde, they find a home, a family, and a future. Over decades, the Village has helped some of Israel’s most marginalized teenagers become accomplished students and professionals. Just this year, Yemin Orde was named one of the top 5 high schools in Israel by the Ministry of Education.

Jewish and Israel education is integrated into daily life at Yemin Orde in a vibrant and meaningful way. Graduates remain connected to the Village for life and often return for guidance and celebrations. This lifelong support is one of the unique elements that makes Yemin Orde a model of excellence.

In 2006, the Israeli Ministry of Education encouraged Yemin Orde to expand its innovative methodology to other at-risk populations in Israel. This resulted in the formation of Village Way Educational Initiatives (VWEI).

Now over 2,000 educators from 60 communities, including secular, ultra-Orthodox, Druze, Bedouin, and Arab Israelis have received training, workshops, and financial support for programming to help transform the lives of thousands of students and their families across every facet of Israeli society.

The effect on Israel has been nothing short of transformative. It has enhanced the spiritual well-being, character development, and leadership potential of first-generation and native-born Israelis who come from poverty-stricken families and broken homes.

The Village Way methodology has also been integrated into university-level education courses and in Israel’s public school system. Additionally, branches of the police forces and IDF have used it to provide an environment that allows youth from underrepresented communities to succeed.

Leading Society

While the name for the Village Way was inspired by the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child,” ImpactIsrael operates behind the belief that education leads society. The idea is that through the work being done by Yemin Orde Youth Village and VWEI, Israel will become stronger and more united.

To learn about the ten components of The Village Way methodology, or to see the incredible success stories it has helped facilitate, please click here

ImpactIsrael is the financial driver of Yemin Orde Youth Village — home to over 450 at-risk youth in Israel — and Village Way Educational Initiatives (VWEI), which empowers educators to change the lives of over 25,000 diverse youth, including secular, Haredi, Druze, Bedouin, and Arab Israelis.

To learn more about ImpactIsrael, Yemin Orde Youth Village, or Village Way Educational Initiatives, please click here.