Welcome to our website!

It doesn't matter who you are, this site has something for you. If you are just plain curious, a whole new world awaits you. If you are a student looking for information about the types of communal living, in Israel and around the world, you will find it here - or details on how to find it. If you are a member of a commune or an intentional community, the vast variety of styles of communal living around the world will give you both inspiration and encouragement.

Community Responses to COVID-19

We present here responses to a request stemming from an unprecedented international co-operation between eurotopia, the Intentional Communities Desk (ICD), and the Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC), in asking communities around the world to share how they are dealing with the challenges brought by the corona virus.

 

Please keep coming back to see more responses - we will be adding more to our homepage as we receive them.

Not so much change here, people who don’t want hug anymore should take care of there need and communicate about it. Is your process of moving in completely suspended at the moment or have you thought of something else? We decided to stay open and welcome, but most people don’t want to risk a fine…
One community in France
We no longer have weekly community suppers. We sometimes see each other out working on the field and work together (6 feet apart). We talk from a distance.
Neruda
Marshfield, VT
From the beginning we have been trying to see the impact of the present world situation with empathy, open to the challenges and questions that arise:

1.- Managing the necessary health precautions: we isolate and take care of the people with possible symptoms of the virus ourselves, and we take certain precautions such as disinfecting dishes but we don’t allow the atmosphere of fear that has taken hold of an important part of society to damage the essence of our community life.

2.- How to manage the economic impact of the temporary suspension of some key activities; With the suspension of programmed visits and workshops, we are searching for alternative sources of income and reducing non-essential expenses...

3. - And, most importantly, we investigate and appreciate to the fullest extent the hidden meaning of the situation, the "gift" or learning that it offers us: to increase efforts for personal and community autonomy and empowerment and to foster the deepest and most effective relationship with the place where we live.
Ecovillage Los Portales
Sevilla, Spain
Our daily routine has changed little...we are able to build and garden and prepare for future members and guests
The OASIS Center for Conscious Living: Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador
We are following very closely the regulations and guidelines issued by government and public health authorities. No meetings or gatherings, but chatting 'over the fence' and using online communication more than usual. We are helping each other with shopping and errands to town, continuing to do bushcare and farm improvements, got new small herd of steers, and are sharing vegetables - the community spirit is strong and the everyday atmosphere is great.
Honeyeaters Farm Community
NSW, Australia
There are 13 of us living in one house as quaranteammates. We go our as little as possible, order our groceries delivered, and spend a lot of time doing fun activities together, like cooking, watching movies, board games, singing, family meals, etc. We're also getting a lot home improvement projects done. A lot of Zoom activities as well.
Oakland Morehouse
California, USA
We have been conducting meetings on Zoom, though some teams have been meeting outdoors with social distancing. Community meals have been temporarily suspended since the governor imposed shelter-in-place and distancing measures in early March. However, with warmer weather some people have been meeting outdoors on Mondays for a bring-your-own lunch.

These circumstances have resulted in less personal contact and a loss of ease of communication that in-person gatherings offer, resulting in some feeling of disconnection. Since this is a 55+ community, it seems important to some of us to observe the precautionary measures in favor of maintaining the overall health of the community.
Sand River Cohousing
New Mexico, USA
We’ve been gardening together. It’s springtime! We’re outside working together in fresh air and sunshine. Sometimes we sit around the fire together in the backyard. Very occasionally we have visitors at a distance.

Wearing masks for trips for groceries and supplies. We have not been cooking and eating together for now. Lots of hand washing. We’re not disinfecting as much now as we were at first since we’re all exposed to each other. No touching or hugging.
Permaculture Community Household
Denver, Colorado, USA
Some of our community members had envisaged to leave for other places/communities. They continued staying with us, as travel or moving was not easy or possible. So we're now tuck here with people that don't fit/want to stay with us.

Our shop is closed, and our offer for stays, hospitality or seminars in our community was suspended. No one was interested in coming here anyway. So we live from our reserves and what we can earn through online work, not an option for all of us.

Being in a rural area, we can well enjoy Nature and open sky, walk around woods and meadows, and get fresh eggs from our neighbors.
Obenaus Community
Austria, Steiermark
We are a closed community on over 1000 acres with private roads and two access points to BLM and state land. We have a full Equestrian Center, Library (books.over 350 DVDs, games, puzzles, magazines), gym, spa and 3 miles of interior roads/trails for walking, biking, riding. We are adding a pool table and probably a pool this year. We have a garden and our permaculture people are getting set up to add an additional 80 acres of food forest, aquiponics, massive greenhouses.

We have an Exchange Program for cash/barter/trade for/exchange money within the community and we hire work done from within the community so people still have an income. We are remote so most people stock up on personal supplies. Nothing has really changed for us. We set up Caballos with a design to ride out these types of events - pandemics, natural disasters, financial meltdowns.
Caballos de las Estrellas Intelligent Living Community
NM/AZ border runs through it, USA
We are fed up to the back teeth with the fascist rules brought in by the Colombian and most other governments, and most especially even by one of the local Indian tribes where we live.

There are 0 cases of CV round here, but the people have swallowed the overblown panic fomented by a very rightwing government to prevent any kind of protest by the people. In the towns many people are starving.

Although we ourselves live on a lovely farm in the rainforest and grow all the food we need and can move freely within our own territory, we are sickened at how people are being treated, especially in the cities, but also down here in the small market towns. People are being suffocated not by the 'virus' but by the restrictions on movement and normal activities.
Atlantis Ecological Community
In an Andean hamlet, El Congreso, Belen Huila, Colombia
Not so much change here, people who don’t want hug anymore should take care of there need and communicate about it. Is your process of moving in completely suspended at the moment or have you thought of something else? We decided to stay open and welcome, but most people don’t want to risk a fine…
One community in France
We no longer have weekly community suppers. We sometimes see each other out working on the field and work together (6 feet apart). We talk from a distance.
Neruda
Marshfield, VT
From the beginning we have been trying to see the impact of the present world situation with empathy, open to the challenges and questions that arise:

1.- Managing the necessary health precautions: we isolate and take care of the people with possible symptoms of the virus ourselves, and we take certain precautions such as disinfecting dishes but we don’t allow the atmosphere of fear that has taken hold of an important part of society to damage the essence of our community life.

2.- How to manage the economic impact of the temporary suspension of some key activities; With the suspension of programmed visits and workshops, we are searching for alternative sources of income and reducing non-essential expenses...

3. - And, most importantly, we investigate and appreciate to the fullest extent the hidden meaning of the situation, the "gift" or learning that it offers us: to increase efforts for personal and community autonomy and empowerment and to foster the deepest and most effective relationship with the place where we live.
Ecovillage Los Portales
Sevilla, Spain
Our daily routine has changed little...we are able to build and garden and prepare for future members and guests
The OASIS Center for Conscious Living: Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador
We are following very closely the regulations and guidelines issued by government and public health authorities. No meetings or gatherings, but chatting 'over the fence' and using online communication more than usual. We are helping each other with shopping and errands to town, continuing to do bushcare and farm improvements, got new small herd of steers, and are sharing vegetables - the community spirit is strong and the everyday atmosphere is great.
Honeyeaters Farm Community
NSW, Australia
There are 13 of us living in one house as quaranteammates. We go our as little as possible, order our groceries delivered, and spend a lot of time doing fun activities together, like cooking, watching movies, board games, singing, family meals, etc. We're also getting a lot home improvement projects done. A lot of Zoom activities as well.
Oakland Morehouse
California, USA
We have been conducting meetings on Zoom, though some teams have been meeting outdoors with social distancing. Community meals have been temporarily suspended since the governor imposed shelter-in-place and distancing measures in early March. However, with warmer weather some people have been meeting outdoors on Mondays for a bring-your-own lunch.

These circumstances have resulted in less personal contact and a loss of ease of communication that in-person gatherings offer, resulting in some feeling of disconnection. Since this is a 55+ community, it seems important to some of us to observe the precautionary measures in favor of maintaining the overall health of the community.
Sand River Cohousing
New Mexico, USA
We’ve been gardening together. It’s springtime! We’re outside working together in fresh air and sunshine. Sometimes we sit around the fire together in the backyard. Very occasionally we have visitors at a distance.

Wearing masks for trips for groceries and supplies. We have not been cooking and eating together for now. Lots of hand washing. We’re not disinfecting as much now as we were at first since we’re all exposed to each other. No touching or hugging.
Permaculture Community Household
Denver, Colorado, USA
Some of our community members had envisaged to leave for other places/communities. They continued staying with us, as travel or moving was not easy or possible. So we're now tuck here with people that don't fit/want to stay with us.

Our shop is closed, and our offer for stays, hospitality or seminars in our community was suspended. No one was interested in coming here anyway. So we live from our reserves and what we can earn through online work, not an option for all of us.

Being in a rural area, we can well enjoy Nature and open sky, walk around woods and meadows, and get fresh eggs from our neighbors.
Obenaus Community
Austria, Steiermark
We are a closed community on over 1000 acres with private roads and two access points to BLM and state land. We have a full Equestrian Center, Library (books.over 350 DVDs, games, puzzles, magazines), gym, spa and 3 miles of interior roads/trails for walking, biking, riding. We are adding a pool table and probably a pool this year. We have a garden and our permaculture people are getting set up to add an additional 80 acres of food forest, aquiponics, massive greenhouses.

We have an Exchange Program for cash/barter/trade for/exchange money within the community and we hire work done from within the community so people still have an income. We are remote so most people stock up on personal supplies. Nothing has really changed for us. We set up Caballos with a design to ride out these types of events - pandemics, natural disasters, financial meltdowns.
Caballos de las Estrellas Intelligent Living Community
NM/AZ border runs through it, USA
We are fed up to the back teeth with the fascist rules brought in by the Colombian and most other governments, and most especially even by one of the local Indian tribes where we live.

There are 0 cases of CV round here, but the people have swallowed the overblown panic fomented by a very rightwing government to prevent any kind of protest by the people. In the towns many people are starving.

Although we ourselves live on a lovely farm in the rainforest and grow all the food we need and can move freely within our own territory, we are sickened at how people are being treated, especially in the cities, but also down here in the small market towns. People are being suffocated not by the 'virus' but by the restrictions on movement and normal activities.
Atlantis Ecological Community
In an Andean hamlet, El Congreso, Belen Huila, Colombia
Not so much change here, people who don’t want hug anymore should take care of there need and communicate about it. Is your process of moving in completely suspended at the moment or have you thought of something else? We decided to stay open and welcome, but most people don’t want to risk a fine…
One community in France

Communities Directory

Thanks to the Foundation for Intentional Communities, there is an Online Communities Directory website here! This is a free searchable database of intentional communities around the world. You can browse through the alphabetical community list or search for communities based on location, keyword, and various aspects of community living that are important to community seekers.

Our supporters!

Who are our affiliates?

1. MEETINGS

The ICD meets bimonthly, usually at Yad Tabenkin near Tel Aviv, to learn about the contemporary communal scene

2. PUBLICATIONS

We publish KOL, our hebrew publication, once a year. C.A.L.L., our English publication, is published twice a year.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA

The ICD is active online: apart from our website, we have a presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

4. NETWORKING

We attend community conferences, host visitors at our communities and visit communities all around the world

Members of the Desk

OUR AIMS

Aims of the Intentional Communities Desk include:

• To foster links with intentional communities from around the world, in order to learn about their life styles and activities, to exchange information, opinions and ideas for mutual benefit.

• To provide an address for people from all over the world, who are seeking advice and information about the kibbutz in its different aspects and about communities the world over (including help in making contact for those wishing to visit a community or join one).

• To encourage and inspire those in the Kibbutz Movement, in Israel, and the world at large, by acquainting them with the various forms of communal living that exist around the world.