For years, the dream was simple to describe and nearly impossible to build: a group of Jewish families, holding in the same place in life, pooling funds and finding the right land at the right time to start a homestead community together. It's a beautiful vision. It's also a rare alignment of stars.
Chabad houses sit hundreds of miles — sometimes oceans — apart. And yet Chabad has built one of the strongest senses of shared identity and community in the Jewish world. Not because everyone lives next door to each other, but because of a few things done consistently and with conviction: a handful of meaningful gatherings each year, a strong online thread of connection between them, and an unwavering belief that this is part of religion — not a side hobby.
Rural Jewish homesteaders often describe loving their lifestyle but aching for that same sense of community for themselves and their children. We believe that ache doesn't require everyone to live on the same land. It requires the same formula Chabad found: show up for each other, regularly, with conviction.
You don't need a national park. You don't need a house, running water, or a hundred families. You need a few acres someone is willing to lend for a weekend, five families with tents, and the intention to be present with each other.
That's a gathering that can happen in a month, not a decade. And when it's simple and local — under a two-and-a-half-hour drive — the question stops being "can I make it out there?" and becomes "how often do I want to come?"
A strong sense of community is a Torah value, not a luxury. We build friendships, mentorships, and yes — sometimes matches and partnerships — around a shared fire.
God's design is visible outdoors. We forage, we cook simply, we learn natural remedies, and we notice what the land teaches when we slow down enough to listen.
We limit single-use plastics, favor raw and unprocessed food, bake our own sourdough, and practice the kind of self-reliance that has always been part of Jewish resilience.
No admission fee. No minimum acreage. No need for the host's house. Everyone contributes what they can, and everyone is welcome regardless of how far along their homesteading journey is.
We promote reusing, borrowing, and regenerative habits over buying new. You don't need money to belong here — you need to be aligned with the values. If you can't chip in with food, chip in with more hands. See what you actually need to bring →
This isn't a guest list and one organizer. Everyone who joins is a participant in making the weekend happen — food, setup, cleanup, and program are shared.
This began in the New York area, but it isn't about New York. Anyone, anywhere — Israel, New Jersey, California, Arizona — can bring this model to their own community.
Weekend Homesteading is organized under HIKON, a non-profit dedicated to Jewish sustainability, preparedness, and living in sync with nature and God's design. Every gathering is run as a genuine non-profit effort — no fees, no profit motive, just community.
Our first gathering is forming in upstate New York.
See Upcoming Gatherings