About Us
ChaiVillageLA is part of the rapidly growing Village Movement--it's not a place; it's a virtual community led by older adults who share their optimism, skills, support and expertise with each other to navigate the challenges and opportunities of aging.
ChaiVillageLA is the first synagogue-based Village in the country, a bold partnership of two reform synagogues--Temple Emanuel and Temple Isaiah--to challenge their congregants to rethink their paradigms of aging and empower them to use their accumulated experience, talents, wisdom and optimism to build a community of respect, support, caring and joy. Being a synagogue-based Village, ChaiVillageLA aligns itself with the values of its temples, the Reform Movement and the wider Jewish community.
The initial funding for the development and operations of ChaiVillageLA was provided by a three year "Cutting Edge Grant" awarded by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles. ChaiVillageLA began offering member-run programs in April 2016, beginning with community get-togethers. Member-provided caring services such as rides to synagogue and friendly visits, began in early 2017.
In 2020, when the pandemic made it necessary to physically distance from one another, ChaiVillageLA quickly went "virtual" and continued to provide the programs and connections that were needed more than ever. Today there are over 235 members in the ChaiVillageLA community attending a variety of in-person and virtual events, taking part in social action projects, and helping one another in times of need.